A first-of-its-kind study examining the well-being of dogs in electric cars has been conducted by Dr. Daniel Mills, Professor of Veterinary Behavioral Medicine at the University of Lincoln, in collaboration with CarGurus.  The study finds that dogs are more relaxed in EVs than in diesel-powered cars, something that we have heard from quite a few of our dog-owning customers.

The two-day study involved 20 dogs, each taken on 10-minute journeys in an EV followed by the same route in a diesel car.  A range of scientific observations and biometric measurements then analysed the dogs’ responses.

The dogs lay for about a third of the drive time in both vehicles but in diesel cars they broke their laying position on average 50% more than in the EV.  Additionally, dogs that showed some signs of car sickness or nausea had notably reduced symptoms in an electric car, with a reduction in heart rate of up to 30%.  The study concludes that this is likely due to differences in noise and/or vibration in the two types of cars – EVs being virtually silent and vibration-free.

For humans too, electric cars offer a superb driving experience with smooth, instant acceleration and costing half the price to fuel than a diesel or petrol vehicle (at 32p/kWh).  You can find lots of information about EVs and their boot sizes on our help & advice page.

Come and talk to us today about which EV suits you and your dog best!