Electric cars can make passengers more carsick than petrol or diesel cars, and researchers say the reasons are now clear. The core problem is a sensory mismatch: the eyes, the inner ear and the body send the brain conflicting signals.

EVs are quieter and smoother than combustion-engine cars. Without engine noise, vibrations and gear shifts, passengers lose the cues that tell the brain motion is about to change, says William Emond, a car-sickness researcher at the Universite de Technologie de Belfort-Montbeliard.

Regenerative braking is a key culprit. When the driver lifts off the accelerator, the motor slows the car in a prolonged, low-frequency deceleration that feels unlike normal braking. A 2024 study of 16 motion-sickness-prone passengers found stronger regenerative braking made riders feel worse.

Instant torque plays a part too. Electric motors deliver full power immediately, so acceleration arrives without the build-up the brain expects.

Drivers rarely feel sick because they can anticipate motion. Researchers say adding sound cues that match the car’s movement could make EV rides more comfortable.