SOME claim that they tend to get carsick while riding in an electric vehicle (EV).
So, are EVs more likely to cause motion sickness compared to traditional petrol- or diesel-powered cars?
Verdict:
TRUE
If you've ever felt unusually queasy riding in an EV, you're not imagining it.
Studies have linked this to how these vehicles move compared with combustion-engine cars.
Electric motors have minimal engine noise and vibration, resulting in a smoother ride that reduces sensory cues that the brain uses to anticipate motion.
Without these, the brain and inner ear can go "out of sync", a common type of motion sickness called sensory mismatch, which sometimes result in nausea.
Another key contributor is regenerative braking, a feature of EVs that converts kinetic energy back into electrical energy, which slows the vehicle every time the driver lifts the foot of the accelerator.
This causes continuous deceleration, which feels different from braking patterns in regular vehicles.
Some studies show regenerative braking causes more motion sickness in passengers – especially those who aren't used to it.
Passengers tend to suffer more as drivers of EV vehicles are able to anticipate acceleration and braking as they are controlling the vehicle.
Those in the back seat or using gadgets are unable to anticipate every action, increasing the risk of sensory conflict and discomfort.
Some automakers are exploring ways to reduce this, such as adding auditory cues, visual motion feedback or different braking settings to help the brain better anticipate motion.
However, the good news is as technology improves and people adapt to new driving dynamics, this queasy feeling may lessen over time.
https://www.theguardian.com/
https://www.health.com/
https://abcnews.go.com/
https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.
