Base acid... same diff. I'm not a chemistry major, although I know a little. When I think of battery acid I admit I think of old school lead acid batteries not the weird ass lithium kind. So I will change the wording to this.

Caustic chemicals. I'd rather have gasoline... hell BURNING gasoline thrown on me than caustic chemicals. Fire can be put out a dozen different ways and protective clothing like firemen wear helps. Chemicals just dissolve you into goop and very little you do/wear would help.

The point is those cars are designed in a way that they are just a chemical bath waiting to happen. Then again gasoline had a pretty rough start. Now we just take for granted how dangerous it really is.