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I see on the news many areas are experiencing major flooding, the story today was in Kentucky. We've seen people climbing out of cars that were partially or mostly submerged for years, but is there a higher risk of electrocution with an EV like the EQS that has a 107KA battery and I think at a higher voltage then a gas car?
Most flooding happens without warning, it's not enough to just say to be careful. Does anyone know if there is more danger? Does that concern any of you?
I am also worried about my electric toothbrush. Every time I brush my teeth I am at a higher risk of electrocution.
I was walking in the rain the other day with my phone in my pocket and was immediately reminded that I should update my will.
I don't drive my EQS through puddles, not because I don't want to splash pedestrians... mainly because I don't want to get "charged" with manslaughter.
Before I let passengers in my car I tell them to take their shoes off. I have to make they are grounded before they enter.
Did you hear about the cargo ship carrying cars that sank in March this year. The EVs onboard is the reason why my local grocery store had a huge influx of fried fish.
I have not heard anyone being electrocuted in an EV during flooding. Tesla has been around longer than the EQS and I am unaware of any report.
This potential danger should not be too difficult to prevent. Some kind of short circuit protection could easily be triggered in such an event.
Comparing an EV to a gasoline powered vehicle, I imagine the new danger is not the 'water' but the 'fire' from burning of the batteries in an accident.
I have seen so many Teslas burning in Youtube (no Mercedes so far). I suppose, the lesson is that one should get away from an EV after an accident asap when the surrounding is safe.
Unlike low voltage parts, none of the high voltage cables, connectors etc. are exposed to contact with flooding water (or anything else). Even if the high voltage components were active as they are at the moment a car is driven to a pool of water, there is no immediate current path from the high voltage parts to any of the car body parts.
Even if a high voltage cable got mechanically broken and came to contact with water, the passengers would not be affected. High voltage contact is only dangerous if some other part of your body is in contact with ground (any other voltage different from that another part of your body touches). Standing on a metal plate at 10 000 V potential and touching a wire at 10 010 V is not dangerous either. If one or the other high voltage battery cable came to contact with the car body, that alone is not dangerous. If the seat got in touch with the positive high voltage and the car body with the negative, that would be dangerous (but not possible, the seat is grounded to the car body).
All the high voltage cables are built and installed in a way that the high voltage battery and all other high voltage control units would get disconnected/isolated if cables faced physical stress in an accident. Also any accident detected by the SRS system would fire the pyro-fuse of the high voltage battery.
An EV being submerged for years might be dangerous if parts start to fail from corrosion. The battery however likely running flat before any danger.
A figure of a PHEV wiring, single motor but an EV would be very similar.
Unlike low voltage parts, none of the high voltage cables, connectors etc. are exposed to contact with flooding water (or anything else). Even if the high voltage components were active as they are at the moment a car is driven to a pool of water, there is no immediate current path from the high voltage parts to any of the car body parts.
Thanks for that detailed explanation. It sounds like there is a danger but it is well addressed. Some of the forum members really know the answers and provide great help. Thanks again!
The danger of elctrocution through flooding is virtually zero. The minute water gets into the system it will short out and trip the main thus isolating the battery from the rest of the electric system. I wouldnt be surprised if the car would simply continue to work fully submerged! A good example is 12V systems, power windows, lights wipers etc, work for quite a while after a car is fully submerged.
I wouldnt be surprised if the car would simply continue to work fully submerged! A good example is 12V systems, power windows, lights wipers etc, work for quite a while after a car is fully submerged.
This brings up an interesting question: Given the amount of serious urban flooding over the past several years I wonder if there is a case of an EV being driven successfully through high water that has stalled every ICE vehicle that has tried to get through the same area? We see photos of ICEs stalled out in high water but are there any of EVs stuck in water?
I don't know if any EQS owner tested or exposed to flooding, but there are bunch of Tesla videos in flooding conditions and one with battery underwater for 10 days:
07-28-2022, 09:03 PM
