Shock, horror... Volvo electric car put to the test

It's a point often lost in all the talk of a green future for the automotive industry -- just how safe is a zero-emissions vehicle in a collision?

What are the chances that a good, solid altercation with a tree or a powerpole will lead to hot, high-voltage lithium-ion or nickel metal hydride batteries torn loose and joining the occupants in the cabin?

And how about those emergency service crews using grinders, cutters and hydraulic rams to rescue trapped passengers? Will they find themselves on the receiving end of a massive electrical discharge?

Volvo feels that crash safety and green sensibilities don't have to be mutually exclusive. To prove this, the Swedish company will have a demolished C30 Electric on its stand at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit later this week.

"We are the first car maker in the world to show what a truly safe electric car looks like after a crash," says Stefan Jacoby, President & CEO of Volvo Cars. According to Jacoby, the C30 EV was put to death via the medium of a 64km/h frontal offset crash, the batteries and cabling remained safe.

"This is of utmost importance not only to the people riding in an electric car, but also to for example first responders. We note that not everyone that now launches or is in the process of launching electric cars are approaching the safety challenges as we are. But Volvo will never compromise on our stringent safety demands," Jacoby was quoted as saying in a press release issued today.

The Volvo chief will unveil the obliterated C30 EV at a press conference during the show, within the next couple of days. Locally, Volvo plans to introduce the C30 Electric in 2012.

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