Pay attention to and often read the tram lab punch card to think about new energy insights
Or because of the concern for safety do not choose electric vehicles? This concept is lagging behind
Author: Wu Jingtao
"95 breaks 9 yuan, 98 breaks 10 yuan", this is the topic that our office talked about the most last week. For some well-known reasons, the price of refined oil products rose again last week. In this period of high oil prices for fuel vehicle users, it is believed that many potential consumers who hold coins to be purchased will turn more attention to the new energy field.
But since new energy models have entered our field of vision, there is a tone that has always followed. That is, new energy models, especially electric models, have worse safety than traditional fuel vehicles in the event of a collision. This argument is widespread and has become a mustard for many consumers when choosing electric vehicles. But is that really the case?
01
There is nothing wrong with structural safety
To evaluate the safety performance of a car crash, the most objective, scientific and accurate way is to look at the crash test evaluation. Because of the quantitative criteria of crash testing, it is possible to ensure that all vehicles collide with exactly the same variables such as speed and environmental factors. Only in this way can the results be truly comparable.
Is an electric car safe or not? Let's take a look at the famous AMERICAN IIHS, which released its latest annual list of the safest models of the year released in February. (The list is divided into two levels, because the difference between them is only the performance of the headlights, so the models of the two lists are no longer distinguished in this article)
In last year's list of the safest models, we saw the Volkswagen ID.4; Tesla Model 3, Model Y; Audi e-tron, e-tron Sportback; Ford Mustang Mach-E these pure electric models on the list. Although the absolute number of models on the list is not high, it is important to know that the penetration rate of electric vehicles in the US market in 2021 is only 4.1%.
The first threshold for the award is that the vehicle must receive a Good (good) rating in 6 collision assessments, including the very familiar 25% small overlap between the driver and passenger side of the collision.
There are also moderate overlapping frontal collisions, side impacts, and roof strength, which are collision items that test the safety of vehicle structures. Compared with the performance of these mainstream electric vehicle models in the US market, the performance of these mainstream electric vehicles is not only not as safe as the fuel vehicles as rumored, but also the performance in some segments is quite excellent.
For reference, let's take a look at the pure electric vehicle models that have been tested by the domestic Insurance Research Institute since 2019. Respectively, there are: Xiaopeng G3, Tesla Model 3, NIO EC6, BYD Han EV, Volkswagen ID.4, Skyline ME7, a total of 6 models.
All 6 models are in the overall rating, and the occupant protection in the car is good (good). In addition to the Xiaopeng G3, the rest of the models in the front 25% bias collision, side impact, roof strength, these three test items involving vehicle structural safety, all received Good evaluation. Combined with domestic models, in the overall performance of the China Insurance Research Institute test, the performance of these electric models is a very good level.
Therefore, from the perspective of the vehicle structure after the collision, especially the protection of the occupants in the car, the electric vehicle has no disadvantage compared with the fuel vehicle, and even the overall performance level will be more excellent.
This is mainly due to two points: First, the layout of the front cabin of the electric vehicle has certain innate advantages, because there is no need to place large-volume devices such as engines and gearboxes, it is easier to optimize the structural design for the collision of the front of the vehicle when designing.
Second, a large part of the mainstream electric vehicles sold in the market is based on the new electrification platform of car companies, and the new platform will have a great "latecomer advantage" in safety.
So what are the points of concern?
From the results of the crash test, we can find that compared with fuel vehicles, the structural safety and occupant protection in the event of a collision do not have the rumored disadvantages. So where are the worries in people's hearts?
I think the answer is on the "electricity" word of electric vehicles, relative to fuel vehicles, electric vehicles equipped with a set of high-voltage drive system, if the high-voltage system is damaged after the collision, it is easy to lead to high-voltage electrical exposure, electrolyte leakage, short circuit, battery fire and other dangers, thereby causing secondary harm to the personnel in the car.
And we have more or less seen the accident of fire after the collision of electric vehicles on news and social platforms, which further deepens people's anxiety about the safety of electric vehicle collisions.
02
Multi-pronged efforts, multi-pronged efforts
In view of this feature of electric vehicles, from professional institutions to car companies, in recent years, they have strengthened their attention and investment in this aspect. From the formulation of industry standards to the renewal of enterprise products, every level and every stage is continuously exerting efforts.
As early as 2015, the China Automotive Technology and Research Center joined hands with a number of domestic car companies at that time to draft and implement the national standard "Safety Requirements for Electric Vehicles after Collision".
Last year, this standard was revised, in view of the current power battery installed in the rear of the vehicle, resulting in easy fire and explosion when the collision of the safety hazard, increased the vehicle rear crash safety requirements and test methods, while modifying the scope of application of side collisions, improve the anti-electric shock protection requirements.
For the traditional crash test project, it is impossible to conduct a more stringent assessment of the electric vehicle high-voltage system, and the crash test institutions at home and abroad are trying to upgrade it. For example, C-NCAP has added a new energy vehicle side column crash test in the 2021 version of the rules to further assess the protection of the front occupants and batteries when the vehicle is hit in a small area of the side. Compared with the general side impact test, this test has a greater intrusive amount of intrusive body sides and a stronger squeeze on the battery pack.
The German Motor Vehicle Supervision Association DEKRA, which previously tested a purely electric Nissan Leaf at a speed of 75km/h, which is much higher than that of the general collision mechanism. Although the body has been seriously deformed, the side intrusion is very serious, and the battery is not in danger of catching fire.
From the conventional crash test, the technology update of car companies to the limit assessment similar to DEKRA, it can be seen that the safety standards for electric vehicle collisions are constantly improving and improving.
03
Write at the end
Back to the beginning of the question, after the collision of electric vehicles, is the safety not as good as that of fuel vehicles? Judging from the results of crash tests at home and abroad, the anecdotal rumor that electric vehicles are not safe is obviously untenable.
With the continuous improvement of the penetration rate of electric vehicles in the market in recent years, from the state to professional institutions to car companies, the safety standards for electric vehicles have also been repeatedly improved. In particular, consumers are generally worried that the safety of electric vehicle high-voltage systems and battery packs after collisions has been greatly improved.
Therefore, at this stage of choosing an electric vehicle, safety is no longer a point that needs to be overly concerned. When you really have an electric car, how to deal with those around you who understand the car emperor, open your mouth to come "electric car is not resistant to collision, collision will catch fire". ... and such "high view" may be the problem you really need to worry about.
Today's topic
Have you ever worried about the safety of electric vehicles?
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