1/5 of UK drivers have ‘irrational’ fear of washing EVs
Over 1000 UK motorists were asked whether they agree or disagree with the statement: “If I were to wash an electric car, I fear there might be a risk of receiving an electric shock.” The Autoglym survey found that 46 per cent of respondents aged between 25 and 34 agreed with the statement, with a further 40 per cent aged 18-24 also agreeing with it.
The survey also noted a regional discrepancy in who was most concerned about electrocution while car-washing. 46 per cent of survey respondents in London had the fear compared to only 7 per cent in Wales.
TV presenter Quentin Wilson was quick to dismiss these fears, saying “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 the high voltage components are insulated and consumers are always protected.”
He added: “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, a technical training manager at Autoglym, added: “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.”
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