Researchers have provided an answer to a baffling phenomenon affecting swathes of electric vehicle (EV) drivers.

Increasing numbers of motorists and passengers are experiencing motion sickness while travelling in EVs, sparking scientists to explore what's exactly making these zero-emission rides so stomach-churning. Social media is filled with anecdotes from passengers who have felt sick in the back seat of EVs, as well as questions from potential buyers put off by this potential puking problem.

The scientific explanation is rooted in how our brains process motion cues. William Emond, a PhD student researching car sickness at the Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard in France, told the Guardian: "Greater sickness in EVs can be attributed to a lack of previous experience, as both a driver and as a passenger, where the brain lacks accuracy in estimating the motion forces because it relies on previous experience in other types of cars.

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"If we are accustomed to traveling in non-EVs, we are used to understanding the car's motion based on signals such as engine revs, engine vibrations, torque, etc. Yet, traveling in an EV for the first time is a new motion environment for the brain, which needs adaptation."

So people who have spent most of their lives getting from A to B in internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles are far more accustomed to anticipating acceleration and deceleration based on engine noise and vibration, cues that are largely absent in EVs. Research supports the idea that specific features of electric vehicles contribute to motion sickness.

For example, a 2024 study carried out by the University of Wisconsin—Madison found strong correlations between the severity of motion sickness and the seat vibrations in electric vehicles. While research from 2020 published in ScienceDirect pointed to the lack of engine sound as a major factor causing people in EVs to feel car sick.

The absence of these familiar cues leads to a sensory mismatch, where the signals from the eyes, inner ear and body don't align with what the brain is expecting. This is a well-known cause of motion sickness.

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Another factor is regenerative braking, a technology common in EVS that converts the car's kinetic energy into electricity during deceleration. This process results in low-frequency deceleration, meaning the vehicle slows down gradually and steadily rather than in quick pulses.

Studies have shown that this type of braking is also linked to higher levels of motion sickness. A 2024 study published in the International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction concluded: "Our results confirmed that higher levels of RB [regenerative braking] can induce MS [motion sickness]."

Anticipating the movement of a vehicle is key to avoiding motion sickness, which is why drivers, who should always be able to see what is coming, are less likely to feel sick than passengers. The lack of familiar cues in EVs means passengers, especially those in the back seat, are more likely to feel car sick.

With EV ownership on the rise, researchers are exploring solutions to this 'sickening' situation. Some suggest that using visual signals, such as interactive screens and ambient lighting, as well as vibrational cues, could help passengers anticipate motion changes and reduce the likelihood of feeling sick in EVS.

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