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Can electric cars go through water?

It’s very, very, very rainy today, and the end of my street has just flooded. I’ve got a few errands to run—groceries, school run, a birthday gift to buy—and I really need to get out. My street gets wet quite a bit, and it wouldn’t be a problem in my gas car. But I’ve just switched to an EV. Can electric cars go through water?

avatar
Tom Hindle · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Good for you for getting an EV! Well, with EVs, it’s not like you’re going to drive through water and get electrocuted. Funnily enough, EVs are quite well designed and have been specifically tested to avoid water damage, especially from the outside. So, if you’ve got a flood, don’t be afraid to hit the gas pedal and cruise through it.
However, be careful, because serious flooding could do some damage to your car. In fact, if water gets inside the vehicle, you might be in danger.
That’s because EVs rely on the protection and workability of their electric motor. If it gets damaged, or somehow short circuit, you could be at the mercy of a strong electrical current.
So, how can you avoid that? Well, you should exercise basic care when judging if you can make it through a flooded street. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
  • Never enter water you couldn’t cross on foot
  • Enter the water slowly, before speeding up to around 4 mph
  • Always drive in the center of the road
As long as you exercise those basic steps, then you should be able to cross a flooded street quite easily. Just make sure you never cross water that’s too deep for you to stand in.
Unfortunately, even if you do everything right, you might sustain a bit of damage. Should that happen you can lean on your
car insurance
.
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