A majority of UK drivers (84%) believe that electric cars are at least as safe as a typical combustion car, new research shows.

A poll conducted by TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk reveals that nearly half of drivers (45%) believe that electric cars are as safe as their fossil fuel counterparts while a further 39% said they thought they were actually safer.

Hard evidence from safety authorities such as Euro NCAP and The National Highways Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests that new generation electric cars are among some of the safest cars available. Euro NCAP gave the Vauxhall Ampera and Nissan LEAF a five star rating for crash safety while even the small Mitsubishi i-MiEV scored four stars. NHTSA gives identical star rating to these models.

“Because electric cars are still a niche product, whenever there is a problem, it hits the headlines,” says TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk’s editor, Faye Sunderland.

“It is reassuring to see, that despite the distorting affect of media coverage, people seem to be confident that these products are as safe-maybe even safer than conventional models-and there is research to support that.

“A vehicle fire is something nobody wants to experience, it is a dangerous situation to be in, but the risk is low and manufacturers work hard to ensure that all their products are as safe as possible. In that sense, electric models are no different and even have some key advantages; namely that they don’t contain a tank full of highly flammable liquid,” she adds.