Do EVs catch fire more than gas cars? A data-driven safety comparison

The article examines the common perception that electric vehicles (EVs) catch fire more frequently than gasoline-powered cars, concluding that this belief is not supported by data. Despite viral videos and media coverage that highlight EV fires, real-world evidence from multiple countries shows that EVs actually have a significantly lower incidence of fires compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. In the U.S., for example, data indicates about 25 fires per 100,000 EVs sold versus roughly 1,500 fires per 100,000 gasoline vehicles. Similar trends are observed in Europe and Australia, where combustion vehicles are found to be 20 to 100 times more likely to catch fire than EVs. The persistence of the myth that EVs are more fire-prone is attributed to the visibility and nature of EV fires rather than their frequency. Gasoline vehicle fires occur regularly and often go unnoticed by the public, whereas EV fires are rare and tend to attract significant attention due to their dramatic visuals, longer burn