Thanks to their eco-friendly appeal and advanced technology, electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more common on roads in Missouri and across the United States.
But if you’re considering a free consultation with a law firm about an EV-related accident, it’s essential to understand that EV crashes can pose unique dangers. In particular, the placement of the battery and the design of the wheels in electric cars can lead to safety and legal concerns that differ from typical gasoline-car accidents.
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Battery Placement and Fire Risks in EV Crashes
One of the biggest differences between electric and gas-powered cars is the battery. In most EVs, a large lithium-ion battery pack sits low in the chassis (often across the entire vehicle floor). This design gives EVs a low center of gravity (helping stability) but also means the car carries a lot of weight and energy. How does this affect accidents? Here are the key points:
- Extra Weight = Stronger Impact: EV battery packs are very heavy, sometimes weighing 1,000–3,000 pounds on their own. This makes many EVs about 30% heavier than comparable gasoline cars. For example, the GMC Hummer EV can weigh over 9,000 lbs in total (with ~2,900 lbs of that from the battery). In a crash, all that weight means more momentum and force. Studies show that if one vehicle is even 1,000 lbs heavier than the vehicle it hits, the risk of death for people in the lighter car jumps by nearly 47%. Heavier vehicles tend to push lighter ones aside, causing more severe damage to the smaller car. Safety experts note that EVs are just as safe for their occupants as other cars, but their weight “will put other road users at risk”. In practical terms, if you’re in Missouri driving a regular sedan and get hit by a bulky EV, the chance of serious injury can be higher than if that same collision happened with a lighter gasoline sedan. (CurcioLaw) (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)) (NHTSA) (Steinberg)
- Underfloor Batteries and Crash Structure: EV batteries are typically built into the car’s floor plan, forming a rigid “skateboard” structure. This can be a double-edged sword in accidents. On one hand, it may make the EV’s passenger compartment more rigid, protecting those inside. On the other hand, an EV might not crumple as much upon impact with another vehicle, meaning less energy is absorbed by the EV and more is transferred to the other, lighter vehicle. It can also fool people into thinking an EV “looks” only lightly damaged while the other car is crushed – a reminder that visible damage isn’t always a true measure of injury risk in EV collisions. Additionally, the low placement of the battery means impacts to the undercarriage (for example, running over debris or a high curb) can directly damage the battery pack – something that gas cars don’t need to worry about as much. In early Tesla Model S cars, there were cases where road debris punctured the underfloor battery, leading to fires, until design shields were added. (CurcioLaw)
- Fire and Explosion Hazard: Perhaps the most well-known concern is the risk of battery fires. Lithium-ion batteries store a tremendous amount of energy; under the wrong conditions (such as a severe impact or damage causing a short-circuit), energy can be released rapidly. In fact, lithium batteries can sometimes behave almost like explosives when they fail, because of how quickly they release energy. If the battery is punctured or crushed in a crash, it may catch fire or even explode. The fire risk differs from a gasoline fire – EV battery fires can burn hotter, longer, and even reignite after being put out. Firefighters and first responders have noted that an EV fire is “a fire so intense that it can take thousands of gallons of water to put out”. For example, one Tesla that crashed and caught fire in the U.S. took fire crews over 4 hours and roughly 30,000 gallons of water to fully extinguish. By comparison, a typical gasoline car fire might be extinguished with around 1,000 gallons in under an hour. The lithium battery can enter a state called thermal runaway, where damaged cells keep heating up neighboring cells, causing a chain reaction fire exceeding 1,000°F. These fires also release toxic fumes and tremendous heat and pressure, creating an added explosion hazard. (NTSB) (TheHoffmannLawFirm)
- How Common Are EV Fires? You might wonder if EV fires happen more often than gas car fires. The good news is that vehicle fires are actually less common in EVs than in traditional cars, statistically speaking. Data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) showed about 25 fires per 100,000 EVs sold, versus 1,530 fires per 100,000 gasoline vehicles (and even more for hybrids). Tesla’s own data has indicated something similar – roughly 5 EV fires per billion miles driven compared to 55 fires per billion miles in gasoline cars. In other words, car fires can happen in any vehicle, and gas cars actually ignite more often. However, the crucial difference is in what happens after an EV crash fire starts. EV battery fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish and can reignite hours or even days later if improperly handled. Firefighters in St. Louis and elsewhere have had to develop new protocols for EV accidents, such as positioning crashed EVs in isolation (e.g. 50 feet away from other flammable things) and monitoring them for rekindling flames. So while EV fires aren’t an everyday occurrence, when they do happen, they present unique challenges and dangers.
- Real Accident Examples – Battery Fires: Several high-profile U.S. accidents underscore these risks. In one Florida case, an 18-year-old driving a Tesla Model S at 116 mph lost control and crashed; the car’s battery burst into flames, and tragically, the teen and a passenger died in the fire after the impact. Court records noted that the driver “died because the car caught fire, not because of the impact”. His family sued Tesla, alleging the battery was defectively designed (for example, claiming the battery pack lacked adequate fire barriers). However, a federal appeals court ultimately sided with Tesla in that case. In another incident in New York, a 2020 Tesla Model 3 collided with a tree and immediately burst into flames, killing the 46-year-old driver who survived the crash itself but was trapped in the ensuing fire. His widow has filed a lawsuit claiming the vehicle was unreasonably dangerous, noting that the battery spanning the entire floor made the fire spread rapidly throughout the car. Firefighters on the scene described the blaze as “extremely difficult” to put out due to the lithium-ion battery ignition. And in a 2016 crash in Indianapolis, a Tesla Model S hit a tree and caught fire; the driver’s passenger survived the impact but died when the battery exploded into flames, allegedly compounded by door handles that failed to open, trapping him. In that case, the family sued Tesla for a defective design, and the company eventually settled the lawsuit in 2024 before trial. These examples show how a survivable crash can turn fatal due to an EV’s battery, a critical factor that lawyers and investigators look at in EV accident cases. (Tesla)
- Risks to First Responders and Aftermath: The dangers don’t always end after the collision. An EV’s high-voltage system can pose a shock risk to first responders or tow truck operators if they don’t know the car is electric. After a crash, “stranded” energy can remain in a damaged battery, potentially leading to fires or shocks if the vehicle isn’t handled properly. Emergency crews in Missouri and around the country are being trained to approach EV wrecks with caution – for instance, using special insulating gloves and tools, and sometimes just letting a battery fire burn itself out under watch if it’s safer to do so. Additionally, a wrecked EV should be stored in an open area, not a garage or building, because a delayed release of flammable gases or a re-ignition can occur hours or days later. All these factors mean that EV accidents involve protocols beyond the usual car crash scene, to keep everyone safe.
In summary, the placement of large lithium batteries in EVs contributes to unique accident dynamics: significantly greater vehicle weight (which can increase crash severity), and the potential for intense fires that are difficult to control. These are critical safety considerations, and they also play a role in the legal side of EV accidents – for instance, in determining whether a vehicle’s design contributed to a victim’s injuries.
Wheel Design: Heavy Rims and Low-Profile Tires – Are They a Safety Issue?
Another often overlooked factor in EV safety is the wheel and tire design. If you’ve seen many modern electric cars (from Teslas to Ford’s Mustang Mach-E or the Audi e-tron), you might notice they frequently sport very large alloy rims with low-profile tires. “Low-profile” tires have a short sidewall – in other words, less rubber between the rim and the road. They look sporty and can improve handling under ideal conditions. However, this design trend, combined with the greater weight of EVs, can introduce some safety concerns, especially on everyday roads like those in Missouri, where potholes and rough pavement are common.
- Potholes and Blowouts: Low-profile tires provide less cushion against bumps. Hitting a pothole in a heavy car with thin tires can be a recipe for disaster. The impact force that would merely be a jolt in a normal tire can instead bend the rim or blow out the tire on a low-profile setup. One car enthusiast famously wrote that driving on today’s pothole-riddled roads with low-profile tires is “an invitation to disaster” – and that’s on a normal car, let alone a heavier EV. We’ve already seen real examples: Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained hit a seemingly minor pothole in his Tesla Model 3 Performance (20-inch wheels with very low-profile 35-series tires), destroying two wheels and tires at once. He was stranded on the roadside with $2,600 in damage. In his case, no one was hurt, but imagine if this occurred at highway speed – a sudden double-tire blowout could easily lead to a loss of control and a serious crash. In contrast, other vehicles that hit the same pothole that day (with more standard tires) managed to escape damage. This illustrates that EVs with large rims are more vulnerable to road hazards because their tires can’t absorb shocks as well, and the vehicles’ weight puts extra stress on the wheels.
- Heavy Wheels and Handling: Big EV wheels aren’t just for looks – automakers often use larger rims to accommodate larger brakes and to maintain handling performance under the EV’s weight. The result, however, is a heavier wheel/tire assembly. These heavy wheels can affect a vehicle’s ride and handling. Engineers talk about “unsprung mass” (weight not supported by the suspension). More unsprung mass generally makes it harder for the suspension to keep the tire in contact with a bumpy road, which can reduce stability and stopping power on rough surfaces. In an accident scenario, a heavier wheel also carries more kinetic energy – if a wheel breaks off, it could hit something (or someone) with greater force due to that weight. Additionally, heavy vehicles require more braking force to stop; if the wheels and tires aren’t up to the task (e.g., brakes overheat or tires lose grip), it can lead to longer stopping distances. Some safety experts worry that current braking systems may not fully compensate for new EVs’ extra mass. This is especially relevant for avoiding pedestrian or bicycle collisions – a heavy car that can’t stop as quickly is a known hazard.
- Tire Wear and Failures: EVs are heavy and deliver instant torque (quick acceleration), which can wear out tires faster than a comparable gas car. The extra weight on each tire means you must maintain proper tire pressure and monitor tire condition diligently. Under-inflated or worn tires on an EV carry a higher risk of a blowout. According to auto safety researchers, the surge of heavy EVs means everything from tire durability to road infrastructure may need to adapt. If an EV owner doesn’t replace tires promptly or uses the wrong type of tires, the chance of a dangerous tire failure increases. For others on the road, this could mean debris or even a loose wheel coming at them during an accident.
It’s worth noting that none of these wheel-related issues are entirely exclusive to EVs – luxury sports cars with low-profile tires have long had similar pothole problems. However, electric vehicles amplify the issue because of their weight. A pothole that might merely dent a rim on a lighter car could shatter a rim or blow out a tire on a 5,000 lb electric SUV, causing the driver to swerve or crash. For potential legal cases, if an EV’s design (such as an unforgiving wheel/tire combo) contributed to an accident or worsened injuries, that could become part of a claim. For example, one might argue that a manufacturer chose a wheel design that is known to be fragile on real-world roads, creating an unreasonable danger. If you’ve been in an accident caused by a tire or wheel failure – whether you were in the EV or hit by one – a lawyer may examine whether a design or manufacturing flaw played a role.
Recent Safety Data and Case Studies
To paint the full picture, let’s recap some recent statistics and examples regarding EV accidents:
- Rising EV Use: Nationwide, EV sales are climbing every year. Missouri is seeing more EVs on its roads, though gasoline vehicles still dominate. With more EVs around, accidents involving them are also increasing in absolute terms – simply a result of higher exposure. Law enforcement and insurance companies in the U.S. have started tracking EV incidents specifically to spot trends.
- Insurance Injury Claims: Early insurance data has been interesting: one analysis by the IIHS found that injury claim rates for people inside EVs after a crash were actually lower on average than for people in comparable gas cars. This suggests that EVs’ designs (rigid structures, lots of airbags, etc.) are doing a good job protecting their own drivers and passengers. However, those numbers didn’t account for what happened to others (people in the other car, pedestrians, etc.). When a two-vehicle crash involves an electric and a conventional vehicle, the occupants of the lighter vehicle may fare worse, as we discussed. The data on those third-party injuries is still being studied, but safety experts are urging caution as we enter an era of mixed heavy EVs and lighter cars on the road together.
- Federal Investigations: U.S. authorities have been paying attention. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and NTSB have investigated multiple EV crash fires to evaluate if safety standards need updating. For instance, NHTSA opened a defect probe into certain Tesla battery fires a few years ago. Government crash labs have even tested how guardrails hold up against heavier EVs, finding that some guardrails may fail to stop an extremely heavy EV that usually contains a regular car. This could lead to updated infrastructure or vehicle design rules. While this is more of a highway engineering issue, it underlines how the game changes with heavier, more powerful vehicles like electric SUVs and trucks.
- Real-World Legal Cases: As noted earlier, there have been lawsuits following EV crashes. To recap two: In Fort Lauderdale, FL, the parents of a teen who died in a Tesla fire sued the automaker alleging the battery was unsafe; a jury found Tesla only 1% at fault (because the teen had disabled a speed limiter and was driving extremely fast), and an appeals court later upheld a ruling in Tesla’s favor on the battery design issue. In New York, a widow’s suit is ongoing, claiming Tesla’s Model 3 had a defect that caused it to erupt into an uncontrollable fire after a crash, killing her husband. And in Indiana, a case involving a post-crash fire death was settled confidentially in 2024, after the victim’s family argued a design defect (and possibly the car’s door mechanism) prevented escape. These cases illustrate that product liability claims against EV manufacturers are being tested in courts. So far, automakers have defended their designs by pointing to driver error or extreme circumstances. However, each new incident brings more knowledge, and manufacturers have sometimes issued recalls or software updates in response to safety concerns (for example, Chevrolet recalled Bolt EVs for battery replacements after fire risks were identified, though those were not crash-related fires).
- Missouri Perspective: Regionally, Missouri hasn’t (yet) been the site of a widely publicized EV inferno like some coastal states, but the risks are just as relevant here. Missouri firefighters are training for high-voltage fires, and local officials monitor national trends to update safety guidelines. Missouri drivers share the road with large vehicles (our interstates see plenty of semi-trucks), and now increasingly with heavy EVs. The state’s climate – from hot summers to icy winters – can also impact battery performance and tire pressure, indirectly affecting accident risks (e.g., cold can reduce tire pressure, heat can stress batteries). All this is to say: Missourians are not immune to the unique dangers of EV accidents, and staying informed helps everyone travel safer.
Your Rights and Legal Options After an EV Accident
If you or a loved one is injured in an electric vehicle accident – whether in St. Louis or anywhere in Missouri – you have the same fundamental legal rights as in any auto accident, but there may be additional considerations. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Personal Injury Claims Against Negligent Drivers: Most EV accidents are still caused by human error – distracted driving, speeding, failing to yield, etc. If another driver (EV or not) caused the crash that injured you, you have the right to pursue a personal injury claim against that driver. This can compensate you for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, property damage, and other losses. Missouri is an “at-fault” state, meaning the at-fault driver (through their insurance) is responsible for the damages. Missouri law also follows a comparative fault rule – if you were partially at fault, you can still recover damages, just reduced by your percentage of fault. This is important in complex crashes; don’t assume you have no case just because you might be a little at fault. It’s often worth discussing with an attorney who can sort out fault percentages and insurance coverage.
- Product Liability Claims (Vehicle Defects): What makes EV accidents unique is the possibility that the vehicle’s design or components played a role in causing the injury. In legal terms, if an EV had a defective design or manufacture that contributed to the accident or made it worse, the manufacturer (or another party in the supply chain) could be held liable. For example, if an EV’s battery was prone to exploding on impact due to poor protection, or if the vehicle’s doors failed to unlock after a crash (trapping the occupants), those could be grounds for a product liability lawsuit. The case of the Indiana Tesla fire mentioned above alleged exactly that – a “propensity of the vehicle to catch fire” and a defective door latch design that trapped the passenger. In that situation, the victim’s family sought accountability from the manufacturer in addition to any claims against the driver. Product liability cases are complex and often require expert analysis and testimony (engineers, fire investigators, etc.). They can also involve federal safety standards. However, an experienced attorney will know how to investigate if a vehicle flaw worsened your EV accident injuries. Sometimes these cases become larger, even class actions or multi-victim suits, especially if a defect is found to affect many vehicles. (ClaimsJournal)
- What About EV Manufacturer Negligence? Beyond defects, one might question: do EV companies have any special duty to warn about these risks? Manufacturers provide emergency response guides and even in-car systems that are supposed to disconnect the battery after a crash. If those systems fail, it could be another angle for liability. There have been instances of claims that an automaker didn’t adequately warn users about post-crash fire risks or didn’t provide first responders with clear information. Under U.S. law, carmakers must meet certain safety standards, but if an attorney can show a company knew of a dangerous condition and did not address it, that could bolster a case. For example, if evidence emerged (hypothetically) that a company knew their wheel rims were cracking too easily on normal roads and did nothing, an injured party could use that in a claim.
- Free Consultation and Case Evaluation: If you’re dealing with an EV accident, it’s wise to consult a personal injury lawyer – ideally one familiar with both traditional accident law and the nuances of EV technology. Many law firms, including those in Missouri, offer a free initial consultation. In that meeting, you can learn about your rights and what compensation you might be entitled to. An attorney can help identify all potential defendants (the other driver, the vehicle manufacturer, component suppliers, etc.) and navigate insurance policies. For instance, the at-fault driver’s auto insurance should cover damages, but there might also be an automobile product liability claim that could involve a different insurance or settlement process. Having legal guidance is especially helpful if an accident involves technical questions, like battery engineering or vehicle software, because law firms can call on experts to reconstruct what happened.
- Compensation and Justice: Victims of EV accidents are entitled to seek the same types of compensation as any auto accident victim. This includes economic damages (medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, future medical needs, vehicle replacement) and non-economic damages (pain, suffering, emotional distress). Punitive damages might also be possible in cases of egregious wrongdoing, though those are rare and capped in Missouri. If a family member was tragically killed, a wrongful death claim can be pursued by the family. No amount of money replaces a life or fully heals a trauma, but these legal avenues exist to help victims rebuild their lives and hold responsible parties accountable. Moreover, when manufacturers are held accountable, it can push safety improvements (for example, prompting better battery enclosures or safer tire choices in future vehicles).
- Missouri Specifics: Missouri has a five-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases (including product liability), meaning you generally have five years from the accident date to file a lawsuit. (For wrongful death, it’s usually three years from the date of death.) It’s never wise to wait until the last minute – evidence can disappear and memories fade. After an EV accident, make sure to preserve what evidence you can: photos of the scene and vehicle, maintenance records, any “black box” data if available, etc. Missouri’s comparative fault rule, as mentioned, allows recovery even if you’re partly at fault, so let a lawyer determine fault – don’t assume you can’t recover something. Missouri also does not cap compensatory damages in injury cases (aside from medical malpractice), so you can claim full damages for your losses. Awareness of these state laws helps ensure you don’t inadvertently relinquish your rights.
In conclusion, electric vehicles bring exciting advancements and new challenges in auto safety. Battery placement and wheel design are two critical factors influencing how an accident unfolds, from the severity of impact to the likelihood of a fire or equipment failure. For drivers and passengers, understanding these risks is important for safety; for accident victims, these factors can open additional legal avenues to explore. If you’ve been in an EV-related accident in St. Louis or anywhere in Missouri, know that you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries. Whether the cause was a careless driver or a defective car component, our legal system provides ways to pursue justice. Always prioritize getting necessary medical care first, and then consider speaking with a qualified attorney who can guide you through the next steps.
Safety and accountability go hand in hand. By being informed about the unique dangers of EV accidents and knowing your legal options, you can better protect yourself on the road and ensure that, should something happen, you’re prepared to assert your rights. Electric cars may be the future, but when accidents happen, it’s crucial that victims receive the help and compensation they deserve, just as with any motor vehicle accident. (IIHS) (SteinbergLawFirm)
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