Electricity and water don’t mix. Thus, it’s understandable to worry about the safety of electric vehicles (EVs) in wet conditions. While you usually won’t steer your car into the nearest body of water, you might encounter potholes, puddles, and the occasional minor flood. Should you risk your safety and drive your electric vehicle through? Or should you accept that you’ll be late? Can you drive an electric car through shallow water without getting shocked or damaging something important?
Never drive any vehicle through water unless you know how deep the water is. And usually you don’t unless other cars are driving through the same water.
EVs shouldn’t be driven through water that is higher than the bottom of the axle motors.
EVs shouldn’t be driven through water that is higher than the bottom of the axle motors.
–Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician
In general, EVs can handle shallow bodies of water like their internal combustion engine counterparts. As a rule of thumb, if you’re comfortable driving a gasoline or diesel vehicle through water, you can do the same with your EV.
Here are the reasons why water doesn’t bother an electric car as much as you might have imagined:
The electrical system of an EV runs on the same principle as its counterpart in an internal combustion engine vehicle. Both draw power from a car battery and transport electrical current to various parts. They mainly differ in battery type, voltage, and role in the vehicle’s propulsion.
The EV electrical system uses larger batteries, supports much higher voltages, and directly powers motors that drive the wheels of the electric car. In comparison, the internal combustion engine (ICE) electrical system features a smaller lead-acid battery, has low-voltage currents, and doesn’t power the powertrain.
Both types of electrical systems are robust overall. They can handle some exposure to moisture. If they get wet, they usually don’t immediately short out or electrocute their occupants. In most cases, their exposed metal parts corrode, but they don’t suffer a catastrophe.
Note: The great majority of EVs now use lithium ion batteries, instead of nickel metal hydride.
Car manufacturers developed various safety features for their EV models. When an electric or hybrid car collides with an object or has a short circuit, it automatically cuts the power flow from the battery. The EV also isolates its battery pack, reducing the risk of an accident.
Circuit breakers are an important safety feature of a car’s electrical system. If water enters the vehicle and reaches the electrical system, it trips the circuit breakers, cutting the current flow.
Shutting down the EV also cuts the current flow from the battery pack to the electric motors. If you shut down your electric car, the high-voltage cables that connect the batteries and motors become relatively safe for handling. As an additional safety feature, the power cables are bright orange, making them easier to spot, identify, and avoid.
In many EVs, the battery pack is located somewhere water can’t easily reach. Take the Tesla Roadster, for example. Its battery pack is at the back, keeping it clear of moisture from outside the vehicle.
However, other EVs like the Tesla Model 3 place their batteries in the floor pan, which is near the bottom of the vehicle. What keeps them from getting wet when you drive over a puddle?
If the EV is a hybrid built in the US, its battery pack features a shell that houses the energy storage part. This shell is electrically isolated to protect people from electric shocks when they touch the hybrid battery. The shell is also made from a metal that’s treated for corrosion and sealed against the elements, keeping water away from the batteries enclosed within the shell.
Wading depth is the maximum depth of a body of water that you can drive the vehicle through without a problem. The measurement varies between vehicle types and models. For example, a truck usually has a greater wading depth than a sedan.
Check your owner’s handbook for your vehicle’s wading depth. Also, keep in mind that this measurement only applies when the vehicle wades through water. If your car or truck doesn’t move while in water, the safe wading depth will be lower than the measurement set by the manufacturer.
While electric cars can handle getting wet, they can only withstand so much water before their safety features are overwhelmed. Here are some things that you must avoid when driving your electric car through water:
Avoid driving your EV through a body of water that exceeds the manufacturer-recommended wading depth. The deeper the water, the more likely it can overwhelm the safety features that protect the battery pack and electrical system.
Don’t park or idle your electric car in the middle of a body of water, either. The safe depth is much shallower if the vehicle isn’t moving.
Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.