Car Theft Data Has a Silver Lining for EV Owners

Technology has changed a lot of things when it comes to cars and driving, including the ways that people steal vehicles. What was once a task that involved a combination of force and stealth is increasingly something that relies on hacking the same systems that make it easier to drive a car without ever putting a key into a lock or the vehicle’s ignition. But it turns out other technological changes can dissuade would-be thieves from targeting certain vehicles.

On Thursday, the Highway Loss Data Institute released its most recent findings about which vehicles are most and least likely to be stolen, based on insurance claims for “whole-vehicle theft” in the 2022 to 2024 model years. What’s not surprising about this data are the cars most likely to be nabbed: the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the standard Camaro occupied the first and third spots on the list, respectively. It makes sense that car thieves target sports cars and luxury cars (the second spot on the list was occupied by the Acura TLX 4WD).

What is surprising is how the list of least-stolen vehicles is stacked with electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids: the Toyota RAV4 Prime 4WD was fourth overall, nestled among a quartet of Teslas. Overall, the Tesla Model 3 4WD was the least-stolen vehicle the HLDI had data on, with the Model Y 4WD coming in at second, the Model 3 2WD in third and the Model S 4WD in fifth.

Tesla’s Affordable EV Might Look a Little Familiar

An earnings call provided more information on their plans

According to the organization’s data, plug-in hybrids and EVs are stolen at a rate that’s “more than 85% lower than the all-vehicle average.”

“As past HLDI studies have noted, electric vehicles are likely to be garaged or parked near buildings to facilitate charging, making them less attractive to thieves,” the group explained in a press release.

Perhaps the best anti-theft measure you can take isn’t an amped-up alarm system or GPS tracking. Instead, the best route to keeping your car in your hands might involve getting something electrified.

Meet your guide

Tobias Carroll

Tobias Carroll lives and writes in New York City, and has been covering a wide variety of subjects — including (but not limited to) books, soccer and drinks — for many years. His writing has been published by the likes of the Los Angeles Times, Pitchfork, Literary Hub, Vulture, Punch, the New York Times and Men’s Journal. At InsideHook, he has…