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Original poster

Electric vehicles and car sickness.

29 replies

brightgreendoubledeckerbus · 27/06/2022 18:18

Sorry, not a very pleasant topic!!

DH wants to buy an electric vehicle as fuel costs are going through the roof. I will always be a passenger as I don't drive and never will. So we went to test drive a Kia Nero today. Nice spacious car, does all we need it to do and in budget as well.

But the motion sickness was awful, especially with braking and accelerating. We got out the car at the dealership and I was promptly sick. While I have huge problems with coaches and travelling backwards on trains, I have never been this bad in a car. I've known DH for the best part of 20 years and several cars so it's not his driving either.

So are electric vehicles more prone to making people feel sick, or was it just me on an off day? I really hope its the latter because if its the former I'm stuffed, especially with the government outlawing petrol/diesel cars. I really can't spend the next 20 years necking kwells every time I get in a vehicle ffs.

OP posts:
RoseslnTheHospital · 27/06/2022 18:20

Have you noticed a difference between a manual and an automatic?

freetotheboom · 27/06/2022 18:21

I was in a taxi recently And noticed this Op

bellac11 · 27/06/2022 18:23

I get a bit funny in cars at my time of life Ive noticed (as a driver and passenger) but I dont know why an electric car would be different. Mine is a petrol automatic and I have to drive a lot slower these days on the motor way

Its more likely to be some chemical in the car in the make up of the fabrics or the smell I would have thought?

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Cars & vehicles
Original poster
brightgreendoubledeckerbus · 27/06/2022 18:23

@RoseslnTheHospital our current vehicle is an automatic and I'm fine in that.

OP posts:
PestoPasghetti · 27/06/2022 18:25

How funny!! I'd have thought if anything automatic would be smoother? It'd be good to know as I'm looking for a new car at the moment and still get travel sick.

BertieBotts · 27/06/2022 18:27

Did he have sports mode on? DH did a test drive of a car (not electric) and it had a sports mode, when he tried that out I felt terribly sick, something to do with the way it accelerated and decelerated.

Maybe just something to do with that specific car, rather than electric cars in general.

RoseslnTheHospital · 27/06/2022 18:29

I wondered about sports mode too, as I get much more car sick when my DP drives as he always puts it into sports mode unless I ask him not to.

Emmelina · 27/06/2022 18:36

Was he having a bit of fun accelerating/decelerating? The instant torque in an electric is magical in a tight spot, but what causes motion sickness is the discrepancy between what your body is expecting and what actually happens! DH has an ipace which is a beautiful smooth and comfortable ride, but if he floors it for any reason my stomach is doing leaps!

PatriciaHolm · 27/06/2022 18:41

regen mode does this to DSD, so DP turns it off.

coffeecupsandfairylights · 27/06/2022 18:47

Sports mode or new car smell, maybe?

I've always struggled in brand new vehicles with that smell - it's why I also hate hire cars.

QueenOfThorns · 27/06/2022 18:50

I don’t think it was because it was an electric car. I get bad motion sickness and I’ve been driving one for years with no issues. It seems more likely to be chemical, as a PP suggested.

Cuwins · 27/06/2022 18:51

I suffer badly with car sickness but have never felt ill in my partners hybrid. Not tried a full electric though

Nandocushion · 27/06/2022 19:00

Electric cars in general have much more responsive acceleration than petrol cars. Especially Teslas, as my friend who owns one says, and he claims that's why Tesla drivers appear to be such arseholes when it's actually that their car is super responsive and even a light foot on the pedal will make it speed ahead instantaneously. You are likely reacting to this.

Dancingonmyownagain · 27/06/2022 19:01

If the auto recuperation was on, that can definitely make it feel a bit stop/start and make you feel sick. Especially if the driver isn't used to it

Original poster
brightgreendoubledeckerbus · 28/06/2022 21:40

Update to this....

Turns out there is a known link between electric cars and travel sickness. The dealership were certainly not surprised. Apparently they have a few staff who are similarly affected. It's something to do with the way the car stops and starts but apparently you can change the settings so its a bit more gentle on the brakes and steering. Dh has rather sheepishly admitted that yes, he was having a bit of fun with the brakes and accelerator as it's a lot different to what he currently drives.

As it'll be me buying the car and being the registered keeper even though I won't be driving it, it's got to be right. So we are going for another test drive and unless Dh stops driving like a boy racer and the dealership can show him how to change the settings so its a bit more pleasant I'm not shelling out.

OP posts:
LetsGoCrazyPurpleBanana · 28/06/2022 21:45

My daughter got travel sick when we first got our Tesla but she's fine now. It does take a bit of getting used to.

newbiename · 28/06/2022 21:46

I was badly sick in an electric car recently 🤢
I get travel sick on every mode of transport, even when driving sometimes but this was worse.

Pushmepullyou · 28/06/2022 21:48

The acceleration is very immediate in an electric car, and regenerative breaking means it slows down on its own when you take your foot off the accelerator. This can make it a bit travel sicky when driven by someone who isn’t used to driving an electric car.
As you get more used to the driving style the acceleration and breaking will be smoother and more gradual and you won’t feel sick. I have an electric and DH doesn’t. When he drives my car (rarely) we all feel sick. I drive it all the time and we never feel sick!

Brogues · 28/06/2022 22:23

I’m completely unaffected by electric cars whereas BMW petrol engines make me terribly travel sick so I don’t think it’s a given.

LadyCatStark · 28/06/2022 22:30

How weird, I get terrible travel sick but we picked up our electric car today and so far I’ve been absolutely fine touch wood. It’s a Volkswagen id4 if that helps. DH once had a Ford Focus as a company car and I got so sick every time I went in it so maybe it was just that particular car?

GreenCereal · 28/06/2022 22:44

Dancingonmyownagain · 27/06/2022 19:01

If the auto recuperation was on, that can definitely make it feel a bit stop/start and make you feel sick. Especially if the driver isn't used to it

This - I can tell when DH has this setting on, and always have to ask him to turn it off. We have a Nissan Leaf, it's lovely to drive but not as nice being in the front passenger seat.

risetodaysun · 28/06/2022 22:56

I felt car sick for the first couple weeks when we got our electric car and then it subsided completely. I've heard other people say similar. It feels a bit like a hover craft i think but you get used to it.

risetodaysun · 28/06/2022 22:58

Regenerative braking makes it worse i think so turn that off if you can.

ShirleyPhallus · 28/06/2022 23:02

I always feel horrendous after being in an Uber which is usually a Toyota Prius, I had no idea this was a thing!

BruceAndNosh · 28/06/2022 23:05

I've got a eNiro.
I found it took a bit of getting used to. The combination of v responsive acceleration and the regenerative braking can mean that new drivers are a bit jerky. Certainly when my husband drives mine, I find it a bit wobbly at first.
But once the driver is used to it, its amazingly smooth. It's a lovely car.
My favourite thing is being able to turn the AC remotely so when you get in 5 minutes later the car is lovely and cool!

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