Thieves Take a Pass on EVs

If you own a Tesla, you might be concerned about the car's battery catching on fire, your hood popping open, or the self-driving mode going awry—but you likely don't have to worry about it getting stolen. More than 1 million vehicles were swiped in the US last year, according to National Insurance Crime Bureau stats, and electric vehicles are less likely to be stolen than their gas-fueled counterparts, per Axios.

• The numbers: The outlet notes that while about 50 out of every 100,000 insured cars in the US are stolen annually, only 1 out of every 100,000 insured Tesla 3's are stolen. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, meanwhile, reports that, out of the six least-stolen types of cars between 2021 and 2023, four of them are EVs (three are Tesla models, while the fourth is the Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV). The two gas-powered vehicles on that list are hybrids: the Hyundai Tucson and the Volvo XC90.

• Complementary study: Earlier this year, MotorTrend reported on a similar find, in that case based on data from the IIHS the previous year.
• Why don't thieves take EVs? There are several different theories, including that thieves don't yet fully understand the technology in electric vehicles, making them harder to steal; that embedded GPS systems make them easier to track down; and that other countries, where thieves may try to sell stolen cars, often don't have great EV infrastructure, meaning potential buyers aren't as interested, per TopSpeed. Also, electric vehicles "are often parked overnight in well-lit and comparatively secure areas for charging," per the "Green Car Reports" newsletter.
• Still a draw: EVs aren't totally off the table. "They are high-dollar vehicles and have appeal in that respect," NICB's Nicholas Zeitlinger tells Axios.
• Most stolen: Per the IIHS report, the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat tops the list, followed by three other Dodge vehicles.

(More electric vehicles stories.)