This is what a Volvo C30 EV looks like after a 40 mph offset crash

At last year's Detroit Auto Show, Volvo brought along a road-ready C30 Electric. In the intervening months, we've driven the great little car, but we're glad we were not behind the wheel when one crashed at 40 miles per hour recently. Thankfully, nobody was, since the car was involved in a planned crash test by Volvo to, in the words of Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby, "show the world what a truly safe electric car looks like after a collision with high-speed impact."

Volvo, as you probably know, prides itself on safety, but dealing with 310 pounds of a 24 kWh pack of lithium batteries (and a tiny ethanol-powered heater) means rethinking the way the car's safety zones need to be designed. Jacoby said that, "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."

A fully charged C30 Electric was sent into a standard offset collision – where 40 percent of the car hit a barrier at 40 mph – last month, and the resulting wreck will be on display at the Detroit Auto Show beginning at today's media days. According to a statement by Jan Ivarsson, Volvo's senior manager for safety strategy & requirements:

The test produced exactly the results we expected. The C30 Electric offers the very same high safety level as a C30 with a combustion engine. The front deformed and distributed the crash energy as we expected. Both the batteries and the cables that are part of the electric system remained entirely intact after the collision.

Some changes Volvo implemented with the C30 Electric compared to the internal combustion C30 are reinforced front crumple zones to make up for the smaller motor, a reinforced structure around the battery pack and redundant fuses and sensors that can cut the power when some moron crosses into your lane and plows into your new EV. You can watch video of a similar C30 Electric crash test here. The all-electric C30 is slated to enter production in 2011.

[Source: Volvo]

PRESS RELEASE

Detroit Auto Show 2011: Crash-tested C30 Electric on display - Volvo first to show the world how a safe electric car looks after a collision

Detroit, Mich. (Jan. 10, 2011) At the Detroit Auto Show 2011 Volvo Cars is spotlighting the important issue of electric car safety in an unusual, but distinctive way.

On the company's stand there is a Volvo C30 Electric that has undergone a frontal collision test at 40 mph (64 km/h).

"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," said Volvo Cars' President and CEO Stefan Jacoby. "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."

With climate change in focus, interest in electric cars has increased considerably. The electric motor is almost four times more energy-efficient than a combustion engine - and if the electric car is recharged using renewable energy it produces virtually no carbon dioxide emissions.

"The C30 Electric meets car buyers' increasing demands for minimized carbon dioxide emissions," explained Lennart Stegland, director of Volvo Cars' Special Vehicles division. "However, this can under no circumstances come at the expense of other properties that customers expect of their Volvos. That is why our Electric C30 has to be as comfortable, as usable, as fun to drive and as safe as all the other C30 variants."

Batteries and cables intact
The car on show is a Volvo C30 Electric, which had a fully charged battery when it was tested at Volvo Cars' crash test laboratory in early December 2010. The crash was a so-called offset collision in which 40 percent of the front hit a barrier at 40 mph (64 km/h).

"The test produced exactly the results we expected," said Jan Ivarsson, Senior Manager Safety Strategy & Requirements at Volvo Cars. "The C30 Electric offers the very same high safety level as a C30 with a combustion engine. The front deformed and distributed the crash energy as we expected. Both the batteries and the cables that are part of the electric system remained entirely intact after the collision."

Large batteries, small motor
The structure of an electric car differs considerably from that of a conventional car - and the new components pose a number of new safety challenges.

In order to give the Volvo C30 Electric a range of up to 95 miles (150 km) it is necessary to have a battery pack that weighs about 660 lb (300 kg) and this takes up far more space than a conventional fuel tank. Under the bonnet, the combustion engine has been replaced by a more packaging-efficient and lighter electric motor. What is more, the car has a 400 Volt high-voltage electric system.

"Our far-reaching research emphasizes the importance of separating the lithium-ion batteries from the car's crumple zones and the passenger compartment," said Jan Ivarsson. "This is the same safety approach we apply with regard to the fuel tank in a conventional car. Another challenge is to reinforce the crumple zones at the front where the smaller motor occupies less space than usual."

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.

Comprehensive test program
The crash-tested cars are part of a rigorous test program that also includes a large number of virtual crashes. Individual components and systems are also tested individually.

In addition to frontal full-scale tests, the C30 Electric has been subjected to other accident scenarios such as side collisions and rear-end impacts. The program also includes front and side collisions with a rigid pole. The aim is to ensure that the car gives its occupants the best possible crash protection in the accident scenarios that are most frequent in real-life traffic.

"For us, the technology behind electric power is yet another exciting challenge in our drive to build the safest cars in the world," explained Jan Ivarsson.

Demo fleet on the way in the USA
Volvo Cars' electric car project currently 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.

"Among other things, we will give the U.S. media opportunities to test-drive the car. We think they will find it as enjoyable to drive and as dynamic as the standard car," said Stefan Jacoby. "Several car makers have launched or are in the process of introducing electric cars onto the market. We are carefully monitoring their progress and note that not everyone is approaching the safety challenges as we are. But for us at Volvo, this issue is crystal clear. We never compromise on our stringent safety demands."

Electrification strategy
The Volvo C30 Electric only represents one leg in Volvo Cars' electrification strategy. There other two are as follows:
• Volvo will 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 kilometer. 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.

"Personally, I believe that our non-compromise electrical vehicles are one of the most important factors for future success, especially here in the U.S.," said Stefan Jacoby. "I can assure you that we will be working hard to please the American luxury car buyers in the coming years. We will stand out from the crowd by delivering a distinct, individualist car experience."

Facts, Volvo C30 Electric
Electric motor: 110 hp (82 kW)
Top speed: 81 mph (130 km/h)
Acceleration: 0-100 km/h 10.5 sec
Batteries: Lithium-ion 24 kWh
Charge: 230V, 16A, 10A, 6A
Recharging duration: 8-10 hours
Range: 75-95 miles (120-150 km)
Battery weight: 2 x 310 lb (2 x 140 kg)
Weight increase compared with a standard car: + 600 lb (+ 300 kg)

Descriptions and facts in this press material relate to Volvo Cars' international car range. Described features might be optional. Vehicle specifications may vary from one country to another and may be altered without prior notification.