Why Electric Vehicles Are Better In Hurricanes

Last Updated on: 31st July 2025, 01:00 am

Hurricane season is technically here. Florida hasn’t faced the threat of any big storms yet, but they are no doubt around the corner. It’s actually supposed to be an especially active hurricane season this year. It’s hot, and greater heat means greater storms.

One unfortunate thing many people worry about here in Florida when they think about going electric is whether EVs are safe or adequate vehicles for when a hurricane hits.

Funny enough, it was a Kia salesperson who recently emphasized to me that EVs are actually better than gas cars when hurricanes hit. We’ve written about this before, but it’s worth returning to the topic as we go into hurricane season. I’m tackling this in four parts: Charging Before & After a Storm, Evacuation, Backup Power, and Flooding.

Charging Before & After a Storm

The biggest difference between an electric car and a gas-powered car — from a user’s perspective, at least — is how the vehicle “fuels up.” Because there’s a risk of losing electricity during a hurricane, many people think about how that could be trouble for an EV. But there are some clear reasons why this shouldn’t be seen as a concern of EVs more than it’s seen as a benefit of EVs.

You’re going to want to charge up/fuel up before the storm hits. If you’re driving a gas car, you need to go to a gas station to do this, and they are notorious for insanely long lines and running out of fuel at these times. One of the worst things about these storms can simply be trying to add fuel to your car in the hours and even days before and after the storm. It’s a total nightmare and headache. With an EV, though, who do you have to fight off to get electricity? No one. You just plug into the outlet in your garage and spend the remaining hours you saved by doing other things to prep for the storm. The convenience benefit of EVs here is off the charts.

What about after the storm, though? The whole area could be without electricity. Well, aside from the fact that you probably didn’t just drive around for hours in the middle of the storm (who would do that) and probably don’t need to charge right after the storm if you charged right before it, it’s again much easier to charge up at home than to fend off zombies. Yes, some areas of the grid will be down and you won’t be able to charge, but if electricity is out, you also can’t use gas stations! They need electricity for the pumps and other operations. This is one of the things the Kia salesperson highlighted.

Evacuation

One of the other big things that people get concerned about is ease of evacuation in an EV. First of all, if you are evacuating, you need to do it early. If you wait until the last minute, you are in for a nightmare on the highway as you get stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. If you do end up in that situation, though, at least and EV uses next to no energy when sitting in a traffic jam. In a gas car, if you don’t turn the car off, it will burn through tons of gas as it sits there running the engine.

Yes, you can’t drive as far on a full battery as you can on a full tank of gas. This is where gas cars have a benefit. However, again, you’re probably going to find it much easier to get a fast charge than fill up a gas tank while dozens of people wait in line for a pump. But, yes, if you’re evacuating, plan and do it early in order to avoid insane congestion. Otherwise, just get ready to ride out the storm.

Backup Power

Now, one thing a gas car can’t do in the case of a power outage is back up your house. But some electric vehicles can. That’s a bonus. Even if an EV can’t back up your house, it may have vehicle-to-load capabilities, or you can at least get in it and turn it on in your garage without the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. You can get relief from the heat by sitting in an air conditioned car, or in some EVs (most notably Teslas), you can even watch Disney+, Netflix, YouTube, etc. in the car. Try doing that in a gas car while you ride out a storm and an electricity outage.

Flooding

There is one thing to watch out for, though. It’s best to make sure you park your car in an area that’s very unlikely to get flooded in the case of a hurricane or big storm. Naturally, it’s not good for any car to get flooded. However, in the case of an EV, extended flooding could do damage to the car’s battery. You don’t want that. Whether you find a parking garage or simply a location on higher ground that doesn’t face flood risk, this is one thing you might want to take extra time and caution to plan.

Final Thoughts on Electric Cars vs. Gas Cars in a Hurricane

Overall, I think it’s clear that electric cars provide a net benefit in this region during a hurricane or big tropical storm. They come with some risks, but they come with several more benefits, including significant ones, for the period before, during, and after a big storm. Having lived through a couple of huge hurricanes, including one last year where the eye of the storm went right over us, I can say with confidence that’s the case. Unfortunately, however, many people (or probably most people) will just think simplistically about a couple of things and assume EVs are a bigger risk and challenge during a hurricane than gas-powered cars. These are the kinds of myths we have to keep busting through and busting apart.

Any other thoughts on pros or cons of owning an electric vehicle when a hurricane hits?