Gary Zhou 
New research from Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), one of the industry’s largest telematics service providers, has found several interesting trends regarding electric vehicle drivers. Among the study’s findings involved Tesla drivers, who were almost 50% less likely to crash while driving a Tesla than when driving other cars.
CMT’s research dealt with driving risks for electric, hybrid, and traditional vehicles. The findings of the study were discussed at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Charging Into an Electrified Future Conference. As per a press release from CMT, its study revealed that EV drivers exhibit acceleration risks ranging from 180% to 340% higher than when driving traditional combustion-powered vehicles.
While alarming, this is quite understandable considering the different behaviors of electric vehicles compared to their ICE-powered counterparts. EVs tend to have instant torque due to their electric motors, so drivers with a heavy foot may end up accelerating more frequently than intended in an electric car. This would be especially true for powerful EVs such as the Tesla Model 3 or the Porsche Taycan.
That being said, CMT’s research also revealed that Tesla drivers are 50% less likely to crash while driving their premium all-electric vehicle than if they are driving another car. This suggests that Tesla drivers may actually be more alert and responsible than what is suggested in critical mainstream and social media reports.
Interestingly enough, CMT’s study also revealed that Porsche electric vehicle drivers are the opposite of Tesla drivers, as they are 55% more likely to crash while driving their electric Porsche than when driving another vehicle. Ryan McMahon, VP of Strategy for CMT, shared his thoughts on the study’s findings in the following statement.
“Among the most compelling new findings are the comparisons between drivers who operate both an electric vehicle and an internal combustion vehicle, allowing for a better understanding of risk across vehicle platforms.
“These findings include an analysis of Tesla drivers who also operate another vehicle. These drivers are nearly 50% less likely to crash while driving their Tesla than any other vehicle they operate. We conducted the same analysis on individuals who operate a Porsche and another vehicle. In this case, we observed the opposite effect. Porsche drivers are 55% more likely to crash while driving their Porsche compared to their other vehicle,” McMahon said.
