KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 — Electric vehicles (EVs) may look and feel like conventional cars, but motorists switching to them need to get used to a different driving experience, from how quickly they accelerate to how they slow down when the accelerator is released.
Unlike petrol or diesel cars, which rely on an engine building up revolutions and changing gears to deliver power, EVs can produce strong torque from low speeds, allowing them to accelerate almost immediately.
While this makes EVs responsive and smooth to drive, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) said motorists unfamiliar with the technology could underestimate how quickly their vehicles pick up speed, particularly when pulling out of junctions, navigating roundabouts or manoeuvring in parking areas.
