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Volvo Works on Electric Car Crash Safety

Volvo EV during crash testVolvo EV during crash testVolvo EV during crash test
Swedish automaker Volvo is currently taking up safety-related challenges involving electric vehicles, as it aims at making its battery-powered vehicle as safe as any other new car. In fuel-powered cars, these challenges may differ depending on the driveline and fuel being used.

In cars with electric power, there is the need of advanced automatic monitoring of battery status, encapsulating the battery and protecting it effectively in a collision.

Volvo's safety tests take place in several different stages. First at component level, then for whole systems and finally the complete car is safety-tested virtually in the computer, and physically in Volvo Cars' technically advanced crash test centre.

"We have made tests on component level to see how the battery is affected by harsh braking and the subsequent collision. We have also carried out advanced full-scale crash tests to evaluate the technology used in electrically powered cars,"
stated Volvo Cars' safety expert Thomas Broberg. "The lithium-ion batteries are packaged in the centre of the vehicle, removing them from the crumple zones."

All Volvo Cars' existing safety systems will also be available in the company's electric cars. However, electric power also adds new possible safety scenarios.

The cars are equipped with a service cut-out to quickly and safely disconnect the vehicle's power supply. Volvo Cars and the battery manufacturers have product responsibility in regards to both production and recycling. This ensures proper handling of the battery when it comes to the end of its life in the car.

"We may well see further down the line that cars powered solely by electricity can be made even safer than cars with combustion engines. We regard electrification technology as an exciting challenge - even from the safety viewpoint," concluded Broberg.
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