Do Electric Cars Make You Sick? Are ICE Vehicles Worse?
What’s not to like about electric cars and their promises for a better fuel economy, autonomous driving, and fewer road accidents? Well, I’ll tell you what – puking in your car seat!
Electric cars can make you sick as they are more likely to cause motion sickness than standard cars. The fast acceleration and instantaneous brakes are two major reasons riders get nauseous. Autonomous driving mode also contributes by making sharp turns, sudden accelerations, and abruptly braking.
In this article, I’ll give you a complete breakdown of motion sickness related to electric cars. You’ll get to learn what causes motion sickness, why it’s more common in electric vehicles, and finally, what you can do to prevent it.
What Causes Motion Sickness?
You might not believe it, but scientists still don’t know the exact reason behind motion sickness. But there is a credible theory revolving around mismatched sensory signals.
When riding in a car, especially if you’re reading a book, your eyes will tell your brain that you’re stationary. However, your vestibular system will pick up the acceleration & turns made by the car and signal the brain that you’re in motion. This mismatch in signals will trigger motion sickness.
But why, though? Why does the brain trigger a sense of nausea for receiving mixed signals? What’s the benefit?
Well, the theory stands that our ancestors only experienced mismatched sensory signals if they ingested particular poisonous food – particularly neurotoxins. As a result, the body developed an evolutionary defense mechanism of vomiting if it noticed any such mismatched sensory signals.
Now, automotive-based locomotion has only been around for a few decades which is nothing compared to the millions of years of human evolution. The human body is yet to adapt to the experience of “driving” and treat it as a benign phenomenon.
So what are the symptoms of motion sickness, and how common is it?
According to research done by Euro Car Parts, around 2/3rd of participants experienced nausea, and ⅓rd ended up vomiting. Other common motion sickness symptoms were:
Sweating
Paleness of the skin
Dizziness
Headaches
Shortness of breath
Yawning
Here’s a great 3-min YouTube video from TED-Ed talking about the mystery of motion sickness:
Why Is Motion Sickness More Common in EVs Than ICE Cars?
Motion sickness can result from traveling in both EVs (Electric Vehicles) and standard ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) cars. However, users have reported getting more nauseous while riding in EVs than in ICE cars.
Motion sickness is more common in electric cars than ICE cars mainly because EVs accelerate more quickly, can brake abruptly, make unexpected turns, and they often have backward-facing seats. All these factors can trigger nausea and make you sick.
Motion Sickness Factors
Why It Causes Motion Sickness
Electric Cars
ICE Cars
Change in Velocity
Rapid changes in velocity either by acceleration or brakes can cause motion sickness.
Electric cars can accelerate exceptionally quickly because they lack a transmission. Some electric cars like Tesla have regenerative braking that can slow down a fast-moving car in a couple of seconds.
Traditional ICE cars have a slow and gradual acceleration or braking.
Sudden Turns
Sharp, unexpected turns are one of the most significant factors relating to motion sickness.
Autonomous driving in EVs causes vehicles to take sharp and sudden turns.
Passengers sitting in the backseat without a good view of the road often experience sudden turns resulting in motion sickness. It can be avoided if the person is driving or is a passenger in the front seat.
Seat Position
Awkward seat position can enhance mismatched sensory signals.
EVs often have backward-facing seats, and passengers seating here will experience more motion sickness.
The average ICE car has a standard seat position facing forward. Some public vehicles might have sidewards facing seats that can trigger motion sickness.
How To Prevent Motion Sickness in EVs?
If you’re feeling nauseous when riding an EV or any car, the best thing you can do is stop it and get out for a minute. Breathe in the fresh air, drink some water, relax, and then ride again. However, that’s not always possible, especially if you’re feeling uneasy with every turn, stop, and start the car makes.
As such, here are some tips and tricks you can use to prevent motion sickness while riding an EV:
Slow down the acceleration and brakes. If you mainly feel nauseous when your EV is accelerating quickly or braking suddenly, then turn that off. Many EVs have the option that allows you to tweak the acceleration and brakes. For example, on Tesla cars, there’s a Chill Mode that’ll slow down the acceleration as well as the brakes, so your body isn’t subjected to massive shifts in speed.
Look outside the window. This allows your eyes to process that you’re moving and also enables you to predict turns and stops. As a result, there are no mismatched sensory signals, removing your motion sickness. Sitting on the front seat is an excellent way to get a clear view of the road ahead and predict the motion of the car.
Take a nap. Falling asleep on your road trip is an excellent way to stop any issues related to mismatched sensory signals. And if you can eliminate the root cause of motion sickness, all your problems are solved.
Roll down the windows. Many riders reported that fresh air helps reduce their motion sickness. So let some air in, and preferably take a window seat.
Eat right. Eating certain foods before you hop into the car or throughout your trip can help improve symptoms of motion sickness. Notable options include crackers, nuts, peppermint tea, and ginger.
Consider medication. If all else fails, you can take motion sickness medication. But be warned, most of these meds come with side effects, the most common being drowsiness.
We’ve written an article called 11 Essential Tesla Road Trip Tips You Should Know. Take a look!
Key Takeaways
Motion sickness, in general, is caused when your vestibular system signals to the brain that you’re moving, but your eyes tell it that you’re stationary. These mismatched sensory signals make the body feel nauseous.
Electric cars can trigger this if it’s driving in autonomous mode or if you’re facing backward. However, the main reason behind motion sickness in electric cars is the fast acceleration and abrupt brakes.
