An electric vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle, with a current collection device (2). The current collection device has at least one contact device (2a, 2b). An electrically conductive contact, of the current collection device (2) to an external power supply (1), can be achieved by the contact device (2a, 2b). The vehicle comprises a DC link (11) and at least one electric traction motor (10). During normal driving operation, the current is conducted from the current collection device (2), via the DC link (11), into the one of the traction motors (10) and a current connection is formed between the contact device (2a, 2b) and the DC link (11). The current connection is at least partially bidirectional. A disconnecting device (5) is arranged between contact device (2a, 2b) and DC link (11). The disconnecting device (5) is designed to be interrupted unidirectionally.