Do you really get carsick more quickly in an electric car? And why?
Ironically, the positives of an EV are the main culprits
A quick look at the comment fields on the internet shows that enough people are sick of all this nonsense about electric cars. But apparently you can also literally get sick from an EV. If you've ever had the idea that you get carsick more quickly in an electric car, that may very well be true. And funny enough, this is precisely because of all the advantages that car brands mention.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, motion sickness occurs when your senses receive confusing signals. Your eyes see movement and you also feel it in your balance organ, but your muscles and joints are standing still. Your brain doesn't quite understand that. Or you don't see any movement because you are reading a book, but you do feel it.
A gasoline engine warns of movement
What helps with a car with a combustion engine is that you hear the engine revving before you start moving. You also usually feel certain vibrations in the car that indicate starting acceleration. So you can already (unconsciously) anticipate the acceleration. Conversely: when the driver steps off the gas, you often hear this from the engine.
An EV just works
Electric cars lack all warnings. The power of an EV does not build up quietly and also comes in without noise or vibrations. In addition, many electric cars brake immediately when you release the right pedal. From acceleration directly to deceleration, your brain finds that confusing. How sick you get from one-pedal driving also depends on the driver.
By definition, people are more likely to suffer from motion sickness in electric cars. Fortunately, there are plenty of manufacturers who are trying to do something about this. By controlling all wheels individually, Nissan tries to keep the car as stable as possible with the electric powertrains. Honda explained to CAR how they slightly curb the power at the bottom to keep acceleration smoother.