According to the National Fire Protection Agency, car fires caused 630 deaths, 1,700 injuries and $5.2 billion worth of property damage in 2020. Many recent headlines have suggested that such fires are more likely to occur in EVs than gas-powered cars, either spontaneously or after a collision. Not only is there no evidence to support this, statistics show that the opposite may be true.

Data from the National Transportation Safety Board shows that EVs have caught fire at far lower rate than ICE vehicles. About 3.48% of hybrid vehicles sold have been involved in fire, 1.53% of traditional gas-powered cars and just .025% of EVs. Some of this can be explained away by the condition of the vehicles. Mechanical and electrical fires are more common in older cars. With EV adoption still in its early years, there aren’t nearly as many older EV models on the road as gas-powered vehicles. Still, it would make sense for ICE vehicles to be more prone to fire since their power is derived from combustion – engines work by creating a constant series of tiny explosions. A single spark could cause a fire. EV batteries, on the other hand, need time to create enough energy (and heat) to even reach a combustible temperature.

While EVs don’t appear to be more prone to fires, they do pose a greater threat should a fire erupt. Lithium-ion batteries, which power most EVs, burn at a far higher temperature than other material, making them more difficult to extinguish. Additionally, under certain conditions, lithium-ion batteries can reignite, adding to the increased risk.