First, let's take a look at the crash test of the Battronics Van. This is a large delivery van, fully capable of reaching 70 mph, powered by two large electric motors. It was produced in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. Although it was in production for twenty years (1963-1983), fewer than 200 examples were produced. It was designed from the ground up as an electric powered vehicle.
Safety features were rudimentary. The two-seater van only had lap belts for the occupants.
On October 23, 1979, NHTSA crash tested a 1977 Battronics Van into a flat barrier at 30 mph. A dummy was in the driver's seat. Forces on the dummy were actually quite low; the head injury criterion of 450 and Chest G's of 52 would give this van 4 stars out of 5 under the NHTSA standards of the time, if it were being tested on those standards.
The video tells a different story: despite relatively low forces, this is not a crash that a real driver could have walked away from. The low HIC was caused by the driver's mouth area hitting the steering wheel rim with a very narrow, concentrated impact, in addition to the fact that the sensors for head injury are located in the "brain" area. From the test film alone, it's obvious that this would have caused very severe injuries to the mouth and jaw area at a minimum. The legs were shoved back into the seat early in the crash and pinned in this area. Crushing injuries to the legs would be likely.
They had to take the dummy apart to remove it from the van.
Remember those two batteries that power the van? They're 800 pounds each, and were thrown from the vehicle on impact. The left battery flew for 15 feet, knocked over an 80 pound camera, and slid on concrete for 15 more feet. The right battery flew for 15 feet. A large amount of electrolyte (replaced with a less caustic fluid for the test) leaked in the process. In addition to the battery detachments, the two-gallon gasoline tank (again replaced with something less flammable for the test) that powers the vehicle heater leaked entirely in about six minutes.
As can be seen in the test video, the body entirely detached from the frame.
Original test report from 1979 - Battronics test pages 8-15 and 60-102
Note: I did not attend this test. It took place 13 years before I was born. All information is from the video and report.
In the report, there is also results for a electric conversion of the VW Rabbit in a similar test mode. These were pretty bad, but not quite bad enough to be "worst of the worst."
Safety features were rudimentary. The two-seater van only had lap belts for the occupants.
On October 23, 1979, NHTSA crash tested a 1977 Battronics Van into a flat barrier at 30 mph. A dummy was in the driver's seat. Forces on the dummy were actually quite low; the head injury criterion of 450 and Chest G's of 52 would give this van 4 stars out of 5 under the NHTSA standards of the time, if it were being tested on those standards.
The video tells a different story: despite relatively low forces, this is not a crash that a real driver could have walked away from. The low HIC was caused by the driver's mouth area hitting the steering wheel rim with a very narrow, concentrated impact, in addition to the fact that the sensors for head injury are located in the "brain" area. From the test film alone, it's obvious that this would have caused very severe injuries to the mouth and jaw area at a minimum. The legs were shoved back into the seat early in the crash and pinned in this area. Crushing injuries to the legs would be likely.
They had to take the dummy apart to remove it from the van.
Remember those two batteries that power the van? They're 800 pounds each, and were thrown from the vehicle on impact. The left battery flew for 15 feet, knocked over an 80 pound camera, and slid on concrete for 15 more feet. The right battery flew for 15 feet. A large amount of electrolyte (replaced with a less caustic fluid for the test) leaked in the process. In addition to the battery detachments, the two-gallon gasoline tank (again replaced with something less flammable for the test) that powers the vehicle heater leaked entirely in about six minutes.
As can be seen in the test video, the body entirely detached from the frame.
Battronics van crash test video:
To 1:21 - pre-test shots.
From 1:21 - 2:30 - post-test shots.
2:31 - end - slow motion crash shots.
Original test report from 1979 - Battronics test pages 8-15 and 60-102
Note: I did not attend this test. It took place 13 years before I was born. All information is from the video and report.
In the report, there is also results for a electric conversion of the VW Rabbit in a similar test mode. These were pretty bad, but not quite bad enough to be "worst of the worst."
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