Do thieves not like e-cars?!
Owners of electric vehicles rarely have to worry about their car being stolen. Is that because electric cars are more difficult to steal? Or do high-powered combustion cars simply remain more attractive to vehicle criminals? The situation could still change, however, because with the spread of e-mobility, electric cars could also end up in the theft statistics.
When the insurance companies publish their final statistics regarding car thefts for 2021 this year as well, electric cars will still be among the bottom of the list. According to the German Insurance Association (GDV), no e-car makes it into the "Top 100" of the most stolen vehicle models. Although one could argue that the statistics look like this because, for example, police reports do not collect data regarding the drive types of the stolen vehicles, there are other reasons behind the low theft rate.
According to the insurance company, the currently still low number of e-cars plays a role. Of all the electric cars registered, only around 10,000 hull-insured cars were stolen in 2020, according to GDV Deputy Managing Director Anja Käfer-Rohrbach. The main focus, as Käfer-Rohrbach further explains, is still on high-powered combustion vehicles. Because it is precisely these that are of greater value and use for the demand countries where the stolen cars end up. Countries where often not only the interest but also the infrastructure necessary for electromobility is still underdeveloped and inadequate. Furthermore, theft is also made more difficult by the fact that electric vehicles are rarely parked outside overnight. Three quarters of e-car drivers charge their cars at home and leave them in locked garages or on private property.
With the growing spread of electric mobility, however, the possibility is increasing that vehicles with electric motors will also be more attractive to thieves. After all, newer and more sophisticated models are also being released in the electric segment, combining cleaner types of drive with a luxury image. If a car thief had the chance to steal, say, a Tesla S or a Porsche Taycan, the perpetrator would certainly not pass it up.
But the statistics show a decline even for such vehicles. Mainly because car dealers are always trying to make such offences more difficult and the vehicles are well supported by advancing technology. For example, assuming that the SIM card installed in the car is still active, an owner can simply locate his e-car via an app. Or before theft can even occur, this is made impossible by a secret PIN code, without which the engine will not start. As protection tools improve, however, car thieves are also getting smarter and finding a way to hack the car system - and thus overcome security measures without causing any damage.
Ultimately, no vehicle is immune to the risk of theft. In the long run, interest in electric cars will certainly increase - in connection with the electromobility boom in Europe, which in turn will influence the car market in the demand countries. The battle between car manufacturers - who are working to make cars burglar-proof - and those who are trying to circumvent theft prevention systems will therefore become even more heated. In short, electric vehicle owners should also remain vigilant.