Why Electrical Autos Are Higher In Hurricanes

Final Up to date on: thirty first July 2025, 01:00 am

Hurricane season is technically right here. Florida hasn’t confronted the specter of any large storms but, however they’re little doubt across the nook. It’s truly alleged to be an particularly lively hurricane season this yr. It’s scorching, and larger warmth means larger storms.

One unlucky factor many individuals fear about right here in Florida when they consider going electrical is whether or not EVs are secure or satisfactory autos for when a hurricane hits.

Humorous sufficient, it was a Kia salesperson who just lately emphasised to me that EVs are literally higher than gasoline automobiles when hurricanes hit. We’ve written about this earlier than, however it’s price returning to the subject as we go into hurricane season. I’m tackling this in 4 components: Charging Earlier than & After a Storm, Evacuation, Backup Energy, and Flooding.

Charging Earlier than & After a Storm

The most important distinction between an electrical automotive and a gas-powered automotive — from a consumer’s perspective, not less than — is how the car “fuels up.” As a result of there’s a threat of dropping electrical energy throughout a hurricane, many individuals take into consideration how that could possibly be hassle for an EV. However there are some clear the explanation why this shouldn’t be seen as a priority of EVs greater than it’s seen as a profit of EVs.

You’re going to wish to cost up/gas up earlier than the storm hits. For those who’re driving a gasoline automotive, you have to go to a gasoline station to do that, and they’re infamous for insanely lengthy strains and operating out of gas at these instances. One of many worst issues about these storms can merely be making an attempt so as to add gas to your automotive within the hours and even days earlier than and after the storm. It’s a complete nightmare and headache. With an EV, although, who do you must battle off to get electrical energy? Nobody. You simply plug into the outlet in your storage and spend the remaining hours you saved by doing different issues to prep for the storm. The comfort advantage of EVs right here is off the charts.

What about after the storm, although? The entire space could possibly be with out electrical energy. Effectively, except for the truth that you most likely didn’t simply drive round for hours in the midst of the storm (who would do this) and possibly don’t have to cost proper after the storm when you charged proper earlier than it, it’s once more a lot simpler to cost up at residence than to fend off zombies. Sure, some areas of the grid might be down and also you gained’t have the ability to cost, but when electrical energy is out, you can also’t use gasoline stations! They want electrical energy for the pumps and different operations. This is among the issues the Kia salesperson highlighted.

Evacuation

One of many different large issues that folks get involved about is ease of evacuation in an EV. To start with, in case you are evacuating, you have to do it early. For those who wait till the final minute, you’re in for a nightmare on the freeway as you get caught in bumper-to-bumper site visitors. For those who do find yourself in that state of affairs, although, not less than and EV makes use of subsequent to no power when sitting in a site visitors jam. In a gasoline automotive, when you don’t flip the automotive off, it should burn by way of tons of gasoline because it sits there operating the engine.

Sure, you possibly can’t drive as far on a full battery as you possibly can on a full tank of gasoline. That is the place gasoline automobiles have a profit. Nonetheless, once more, you’re most likely going to search out it a lot simpler to get a quick cost than replenish a gasoline tank whereas dozens of individuals wait in line for a pump. However, sure, when you’re evacuating, plan and do it early with a purpose to keep away from insane congestion. In any other case, simply get able to trip out the storm.

Backup Energy

Now, one factor a gasoline automotive can’t do within the case of an influence outage is again up your home. However some electrical autos can. That’s a bonus. Even when an EV can’t again up your home, it could have vehicle-to-load capabilities, or you possibly can not less than get in it and switch it on in your storage with out the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning. You will get aid from the warmth by sitting in an air conditioned automotive, or in some EVs (most notably Teslas), you possibly can even watch Disney+, Netflix, YouTube, and many others. within the automotive. Attempt doing that in a gasoline automotive whilst you trip out a storm and an electrical energy outage.

Flooding

There’s one factor to be careful for, although. It’s greatest to be sure you park your automotive in an space that’s impossible to get flooded within the case of a hurricane or large storm. Naturally, it’s not good for any automotive to get flooded. Nonetheless, within the case of an EV, prolonged flooding may do harm to the automotive’s battery. You don’t need that. Whether or not you discover a parking storage or just a location on increased floor that doesn’t face flood threat, that is one factor you may wish to take additional time and warning to plan.

Remaining Ideas on Electrical Vehicles vs. Gasoline Vehicles in a Hurricane

Total, I believe it’s clear that electrical automobiles present a internet profit on this area throughout a hurricane or large tropical storm. They arrive with some dangers, however they arrive with a number of extra advantages, together with important ones, for the interval earlier than, throughout, and after a giant storm. Having lived by way of a few enormous hurricanes, together with one final yr the place the attention of the storm went proper over us, I can say with confidence that’s the case. Sadly, nonetheless, many individuals (or most likely most folks) will simply assume simplistically about a few issues and assume EVs are an even bigger threat and problem throughout a hurricane than gas-powered automobiles. These are the sorts of myths we now have to maintain busting by way of and busting aside.

Every other ideas on execs or cons of proudly owning an electrical car when a hurricane hits?