Are Electric Cars a Hazard on Flooded Roads?

Worries are mounting that electric cars are unsafe to drive on flooded roads after the record rains Korea has been experiencing lately.

Electric cars run on a 300V or higher-voltage battery, but does that mean they are a hazard and could cause powerful electric shocks?

All EVs are equipped with safety features for protection against such accidents. For example, a humidity sensor in the battery switches it off automatically if water seeps in. The power supply system and motor are waterproofed.

But safety features can fail.

"It's true that the risk of an electric shock is high for vehicles with electric motors, because they have two times more electric features than those with internal combustion engines," said Kim Pil-soo at Daelim University. "It's best to refrain from driving EVs in waterlogged areas."