South Korean experts are urging electric vehicle owners to avoid outdoor charging and flooded areas during the current rainy season.
These precautions are critical because water infiltration into high-voltage batteries can lead to short circuits and electric shocks. While modern vehicles include safety mechanisms, the effectiveness of these systems can diminish as the vehicle ages.
Reporter Park Ki-wan of YTN said that electric vehicle batteries are typically installed across a wide area of the vehicle's lower chassis. Because of this placement, the battery is highly susceptible to road-level flooding. According to technical data, the lower part of the battery can come into contact with water when roughly one-third of a passenger car's wheel is submerged [1].
To mitigate these risks, vehicles are equipped with waterproofing, and automatic safety systems. When water infiltrates the battery, an automatic power-cut device activates immediately [2]. This system is designed to prevent catastrophic electrical failure and protect passengers from shock.
However, the reliability of these protections is not permanent. Professor Kim Pil-soo of Daelim University's automotive department said that the waterproofing functions of electric vehicles degrade over time. This aging process makes older vehicles more vulnerable to water damage than new models.
Authorities recommend that drivers bypass flooded regions entirely rather than attempting to gauge water depth. Avoiding outdoor charging stations during heavy rainfall is also advised to prevent electrical surges or leaks during the power transfer process. These steps reduce the likelihood of permanent battery damage and ensure the automatic power-cut systems are not unnecessarily triggered.
“Electric vehicle batteries are typically installed across a wide area of the vehicle's lower chassis.”
The warning highlights a critical gap between the theoretical safety of EV waterproofing and the reality of vehicle aging. As the first generation of mass-market electric vehicles ages, the degradation of seals means that safety margins are shrinking, making environmental hazards like urban flooding more dangerous for older EVs than for newer models.
