As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to gain traction globally, a growing number of passengers are reporting unexpected discomfort in the form of motion sickness. In 2024, EVs accounted for 22 per cent of all new car sales worldwide, a notable increase from 18 per cent in 2023, yet despite their rapid rise, many users are struggling with the physiological side effects of the EV driving experience.
Across social media platforms and online forums, reports of nausea while riding in electric cars, particularly from passengers in the rear seats, have become increasingly common, according to a report by The Guardian. Researchers are now working to uncover the reasons behind this discomfort, and recent findings suggest there is a scientific basis for the phenomenon.
According to William Emond, a doctoral researcher at the Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard in France who specialises in vehicle-induced motion sickness, the issue stems from a lack of prior experience with the unique motion characteristics of electric cars. The human brain, he explained, relies heavily on learned signals, such as engine revs or vibration patterns, to anticipate acceleration and deceleration. Since EVs operate far more quietly and smoothly than their combustion-engine counterparts, these familiar cues are missing, leaving the brain struggling to interpret motion accurately.
