Electric car safety

By the end of this topic you can

• You can identify high-voltage parts and know not to touch them.
• You can deal with a breakdown in an electric car safely.
• You can explain why an electric car may need special recovery.
• You can recognise warning signs of a battery problem and act on them.
• You can give emergency services the information they need.

What you need to know and understand

• High-voltage cables in electric cars are usually bright orange. Never touch or cut them.
• Only trained technicians should work on the high-voltage system.
• If you break down, follow the normal Highway Code advice: get to a place of relative safety and keep well away from traffic (rule 275).
• Tell the breakdown service your car is electric. Many electric cars should not be towed with their driven wheels on the ground; check the handbook.
• After a collision, tell the 999 call handler the vehicle is electric so responders know what to expect.
• Smoke, hissing, popping sounds or a strong chemical smell from the battery area are warning signs. Get everyone out, move well away and call 999.
• A car that seems switched off because it is silent may still be ready to move. Always select park and switch it off properly.

High voltage: look, do not touch

Under the bonnet and under the floor, an electric car has a high-voltage battery and thick orange cables connecting it to the motor. In normal use these are sealed away and safe. Your everyday checks, such as tyres, lights, screen wash and the 12-volt battery, are the same as in any car.

Never open, pierce or try to repair battery packs or orange cables. If any are damaged, for example after a collision or hitting a high kerb, do not touch the area and get the car inspected.

Breaking down in an electric car

Running out of charge is a breakdown too. Plan charging stops so you never rely on the last few miles of range.

1. Switch on hazard warning lights and get the car to a place of relative safety, such as a lay-by, emergency area or service area.
2. Get yourself and passengers out on the side away from traffic if it is safe, and keep well away from the car and the carriageway.
3. On a motorway, if you cannot leave the car safely, stay inside with seat belts on and call 999.
4. Call your breakdown provider and tell them the car is electric, including the make and model.
5. Do not let anyone tow the car with its wheels on the road unless the handbook allows it.

Collisions and fire warning signs

After a collision, the advice in Highway Code rule 283 still applies: stop safely, use hazard lights, call 999 with the location and details of any casualties, and do not move injured people unless they are in immediate danger. Add that the car is electric.

Battery fires are rare, but they can start some time after damage and can be hard to put out. If you notice smoke, hissing or popping from the car, or a strong chemical smell, do not try to fight the fire. Get everyone well away from the car and call 999.

Flooded roads and quiet running

Do not drive an electric car through deep water. Water can damage electrical systems just as it damages engines. If the car has been in a flood, have it checked before using it again.

Remember that electric cars are quiet. When you get out, make sure the car is in park and fully switched off, and take care in car parks where pedestrians may not hear it moving.

Common mistakes

• Touching or tampering with orange cables. Leave them to trained technicians.
• Not telling the breakdown service the car is electric. They may need to send a flatbed truck.
• Trying to put out a battery fire. Get away and call 999.
• Walking away from a car that is still ready to drive. Select park and switch off properly.
• Driving through floodwater. Find another route.

Test yourself: Electric car safety

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.