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Ener1 Batteries Survive Volvo C30 Electric Crash Test

If you have been watching our coverage of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), then you already know that Swedish manufacturer Volvo planned and, by all accounts, succeeded in impressing the crowds of journalists with their presentation of a crashed C30 electric model.

Intended as a means to showcase how Volvo plans to protect the batteries of the vehicle in case of an impact, the model on display at the COBO Center was taken there just as it was left following the frontal crash test it was subjected to.

The batteries fitted in the vehicle are manufactured by Ener1, one of the most important players on today's battery market. The fact that they survived the crash is a merit of both Volvo and Ener1.

The batteries are of a split architecture and are placed outside of the crumple zones. Half of it is located in the central tunnel between the seats and the other under the rear seats, where you would normally find the gas tank.

In the event of a collision, a crash sensor in the car cuts power in 50 milliseconds, using the same signal that deploys the airbag. In addition, several fuses cut directly if a ground fault (like a damaged cable coming into contact with the body frame) is detected.

“Safety is a central issue in electric vehicles and a key reason we were selected by Volvo is safety has always been the hallmark of the EnerDel battery,” said Charles Gassenheimer, Ener1 CEO.

“Ener1 benefits greatly from collaborating with a company that is a world leader in safety and maintains the most exacting standards of quality."
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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