Electric Vehicle Crash Tests Are More Complex, Involving Risks of Electrocution and Fire

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Crash testing or crash tests on electric vehicles basically have the same stages as conventional engine vehicles. The vehicle is still subjected to crash tests to determine the body’s structural capability in protecting passengers during impacts. However, after the collision process is complete, electric vehicles undergo a series of additional checks that are not performed on ordinary cars or internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The Head of the Passive Safety Laboratory at the Centre for Roadworthiness Testing and Motor Vehicle Certification (BPLJSKB), W Aris Munandar, stated that electric vehicles require special protocols after crash testing because they have high-voltage battery systems. “Electric vehicles have additional protocols after crash tests,” Aris told Kompas.com in Bekasi, West Java, on Tuesday (5/5/2026). “This is because electric vehicles contain two batteries: a low-voltage 12-volt battery and a high-voltage battery used to power the electric motor. The high-voltage battery typically reaches 400 volts,” Aris explained. Aris further explained that due to the very high voltage, the vehicle system must be capable of automatically disconnecting the electrical flow when the vehicle experiences a hard impact. After that, testers will conduct several additional checks to ensure there is no electrical leakage in the vehicle. Direct Touch Aris explained that there are two testing methods conducted: direct touch and indirect touch. “Then, there are two types of tests performed: direct touch and indirect touch,” Aris said. “The direct touch test uses a probe resembling a finger to touch the vehicle body, because the body must not experience current leakage, especially from the high-voltage battery,” he added.