As the Detroit Auto Show opens for press previews once again today, Volvo Cars is spotlighting an important issue of electric car safety as it reveals more about its plans for battery powered cars.
The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) as it is officially know, opens its doors to the public at the end of the week, following press days taking place today and yesterday. As part of the show Volvo’s concept electric C30 car is displayed on the company’s stand having undergone a frontal collision test at 40 mph (64 km/h).
This test according to Swedish car maker proves that electric cars can be adapted to achieve safety levels on par with modern fossil-fuelled vehicles.
"Our tests show it is vital to separate the batteries from the electric car’s crumple zones to make it as safe as a conventional car. In Detroit we are the first car maker to show the world what a truly safe electric car looks like after a collision with high-speed impact," says Volvo Cars’ President and CEO Stefan Jacoby.
Well-protected batteries
In the Volvo C30 electric, the batteries are fitted in the traditional fuel tank position and in the tunnel area. The batteries are robustly encapsulated. Beams and other parts of the car’s structure around the battery pack are reinforced. All the cables are shielded for maximum protection.
The crash sensor in the car also controls the fuses – and power is cut in 50 milliseconds in a collision by the same signal that deploys the airbags.
The system has several fuses that cut directly if an earth fault is detected, such as a damaged cable coming into contact with the body frame.
In a conventional car, the combustion engine helps distribute the incoming collision forces. In the C30 Electric this task is performed by a reinforced frontal structure that also helps absorb the increased collision energy created as a result of the car’s added weight.
Demo fleet on the way in the USA
The car maker’s current electric car project encompasses about 250 vehicles that will be used by a number of companies and authorities. Deliveries of the first Volvo C30 Electric to customers in Sweden will start early next year. A demo fleet is also planned for the United States later in 2011.
Electrification strategy
The Volvo C30 Electric only represents one leg in Volvo Cars’ electrification strategy. There are two more. Volvo intends to introduce a plug-in hybrid in Europe in 2012. It features a diesel engine backing up the electrical motor. This cuts emissions to less than 50g of CO2 per kilometre. Later, the plug-in hybrid will come to the United States with a gasoline engine backing up the electrical drive.
The third leg is to use power hybrids to give more miles to the gallon from Volvo’s new, upcoming generation of downsized engines.
