Can electric cars be stolen? (2024)

FAQs

Can electric cars be stolen? ›

“A separate set of data published in April 2023 that looks at 2020-2022 model year vehicles from the Highway Loss Data Institute reveals all-electric models, like the Tesla Model 3, are frequently less targeted by thieves than internal combustion engine cars.”

Of course, electric vehicles (EVs) have a limited driving range, which means they can't go as far as their drivers might like. Unfortunately, EVs are also a target for thieves who strip them for parts or try to sell them in countries with little demand for EVs.

All things considered, yes – electric cars are more easily hacked than other cars, because they have more potential points of vulnerability and because their onboard systems are more tightly interconnected.

Are electric cars dangerous in a crash? Generally, electric cars are as safe as, if not safer than, ICE cars, but don't just take our word for it – the Euro-NCAP, an independent safety body testing cars in Europe, confirms this. As part of its assessment, the Euro-NCAP conducts crash testing.

The spectrum of risks ranges from hacking attempts that could compromise vehicle functionality to sophisticated attacks targeting operational technologies to breaches that threaten data privacy. The criticality of cybersecurity in the evolution of EV adoption is unmistakable.

FOI requests to the DVLA reveal Kia Niro owners face the highest risk, with 199 reported thefts in 2023—more than double the next targeted vehicle, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, with 96 incidents.

Summary. Car theft in the US and Canada hit record numbers in 2023. New tech like keyless entry is fueling car theft escalation. Thieves avoid EVs due to their advanced security features and lack of demand.

In the event of a cyberattack, hackers can take over the vehicle system control. But there are protective measures.

In fact, information provided by the Highway Loss Data Institute states that collisions involving electric vehicles result in fewer injury claims, with supplemental data showing that the additional weight of the vehicle batteries actually absorbs much of the impact of the crash.

Why are electric car fires hard to put out? ›

And so When that battery is breached, or if there's a design problem, or if there are internal spikes of lithium that form over time and then pierce protective barriers inside the battery that can start a chain reaction known as thermal runaway, which basically it starts a fire and is very difficult to put out.

Safety Advances in Electric Cars

Electric cars are inherently safer than internal combustion-engine vehicles. The power source for all electric cars, Lithium-ion batteries are combustible in which they contain power cells that subject to short-circuiting if they are damaged, can result in fires.

One key disadvantage of electric cars is the battery life. Like all batteries, the capacity decreases over time. Researchers suggest battery capacity decreases by approximately 2.3% every year. Battery longevity is highly dependent on temperature.

Nickel-metal hydride batteries have a much longer life cycle than lead-acid batteries and are safe and abuse tolerant. These batteries have been widely used in HEVs.

Why do electric car charging cables get stolen? EV charging cables are being targeted by thieves selling the copper content for scrap or listing the cables on the second-hand market through platforms such as eBay or Facebook Marketplace.

The chances of battery pack thefts will soon see an uprise, with these becoming the most lucrative and targeted component of EV's. Since EV's are now multiplying, most of the new age thieves have found the batteries as a prized component on their 'favourite' list as a TOPPER.

We have a range of trackers to suit all types of vehicles – including electric cars and hybrids. Electric & Hybrid cars have never been able to benefit from a tracker with immobilisation but there's a new product called Smartrack iMOB on our site that allows immobilisation through the vehicles CAN-BUS system.

Electric vehicles also communicate wirelessly with WiFi networks and with apps that their drivers have installed on their phones. This combination leaves these vehicles open to malicious attacks by skilled hackers.