Maybe this will calm some of the "plug-in cars are scary!" fears that are out there. Recently, a Nissan Leaf driver rear-ended a school bus in Oregon, causing minor injuries but no fire, the Yamhill Valley News-Register reported.
The Leaf's front and side airbags deployed during the accident, which occurred in Gaston, about 30 miles southwest of Portland, the newspaper said, citing Oregon State Police. The bus, which was stopped at the time, contained only the driver, and no children. The Leaf driver suffered minor injuries, was treated at the scene and was cited for careless driving, the newspaper reports.
With sales of electric-drive vehicles such as the Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in expected to surge over the next few years, some have expressed concern over potential safety issues involving the cars. While each case is different, this minor story proves that an EV can be just as safe as a gasoline car – sometimes safer.
Last week, Chevy parent General Motors launched an advertising campaign touting the safety of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in electric vehicle just as its CEO testified to Congress that a recent Volt fire that took place after a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash test would never occur under real-world circumstances. NHTSA said earlier this month that it finished its a two-month investigation into the crash test that resulted in a fire three weeks after the fact last summer, and concluded that neither the Volt nor other electric vehicles pose more of a fire risk than conventional vehicles.
The Leaf's front and side airbags deployed during the accident, which occurred in Gaston, about 30 miles southwest of Portland, the newspaper said, citing Oregon State Police. The bus, which was stopped at the time, contained only the driver, and no children. The Leaf driver suffered minor injuries, was treated at the scene and was cited for careless driving, the newspaper reports.
With sales of electric-drive vehicles such as the Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in expected to surge over the next few years, some have expressed concern over potential safety issues involving the cars. While each case is different, this minor story proves that an EV can be just as safe as a gasoline car – sometimes safer.
Last week, Chevy parent General Motors launched an advertising campaign touting the safety of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in electric vehicle just as its CEO testified to Congress that a recent Volt fire that took place after a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash test would never occur under real-world circumstances. NHTSA said earlier this month that it finished its a two-month investigation into the crash test that resulted in a fire three weeks after the fact last summer, and concluded that neither the Volt nor other electric vehicles pose more of a fire risk than conventional vehicles.
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