Hybrid vehicles face greatest fire risk, EVs the least: Study

Hybrid vehicles face the greatest risk of catching fire, while electric vehicles have the least risk of fire, claims a study by AutoinsuranceEZ. These findings come at a time when electric vehicles are increasing fast in numbers around the world and fire incidents involving EVs make major headlines.

The study has collected data from the National Transportation Safety Board, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, vehicle recalls. The study claims to have found and found that there were just 52 electric vehicles that caught fires in the US in 2021. In contrast, 16,051 fires were reported for hybrid vehicles and 199,533 for internal combustion engine-powered vehicles. The number of ICE vehicles catching fire is greater because there are more ICE vehicles on road than hybrid and EVs.

The study compares the vehicle fire incident in every one lakh unit sold. Interestingly, the rate of fires per 100,000 vehicles sales is 1,529.9 for ICE vehicles, which is less than the 3,474.5 for hybrid vehicles. In the case of electric vehicles, the rate is just 25.1 per 100,000 vehicles.

Internal combustion engine-powered vehicles catch fire for a number of reasons. The biggest among them is the collision that ruptures the fuel line or fuel tank and results in fire. Hybrid and electric vehicles, on the other hand, tend to catch fire because of the batteries they carry. The battery fires are more dangerous and harder to extinguish than ICE-vehicle fires, but the root of these fires are often different.

The recalls announced the vehicle manufacturer too support the finding that EVs are much less prone to catching fire compared to hybrid and internal combustion engine-powered vehicles. The majority of the recalls affect combustion vehicles.

While the risk of a fire in an electric vehicle exists but the risk preparation is much less for them.