Over 20% of car owners fear electric shock when washing an EV
More than a fifth of car owners fear they may sustain an electric shock while washing an EV by themselves, says a recent study by Autoglym.
The findings showed that 21% of 1,000 car owners questioned agreed with the statement “if I were to wash an electric car, I fear there might be a risk of receiving an electric shock.”
Moreover, the sentiment is even bigger amongst younger drivers aged 18 to 34, with 46% of respondents in that age group saying they would be worried about an EV giving them an electric shock while cleaning it. Conversely, just 8% of those who fell in the 55 to 64 age bracket expressed this concern.
Geographically, 45% of London-based car owners are more likely to be hesitant about washing an EV compared to just 7% of motorists in Wales, who were the least bothered.
To bust the myth surrounding EVs and electric shocks, ex-Top Gear presenter and transport campaigner, Quentin Willson, explained: “Getting a shock when cleaning an EV is a very old myth and completely false.
“Car makers rigorously test battery EVs for safety and perform special water soak tests to make sure all high voltage components are insulated and consumers are always protected. On YouTube there’s lots of footage of EVs driving effortlessly through heavy floods.
“There’s no evidence anywhere of someone getting a shock from an EV while cleaning one. Electric cars have been on sale since 2009, so if this was genuinely a danger, we’d know about it by now.”
Lee Irving, the technical training manager at Autoglym echoed Willson’s sentiments and added: “We know that the world of EVs can be a mystery to some, but making sure that the misconceptions are rectified is extremely important, especially as we’re all being encouraged to make the switch to this new form of clean mobility.
“While we recommend owners avoid flooding an EV’s charging port with water, cleaning one is no more dangerous than cleaning a petrol- or diesel-powered vehicle.”
In recent years, EV Powered has also sought to mythbust several misconceptions surrounding EVs.
These have included finding that an EV’s batteries will now outlast the average lifespan of a new car, as well as dispelling the notion that using air conditioning during the summer months will deplete an EV’s range by 50% or more.
