Polestar Crash Tests Carbon Fiber Electric Car

AlphaAtlas

[H]ard|Gawd
Staff member
Joined
Mar 3, 2018
Messages
1,713
Tesla has gained a reputation for acing crash tests, but they aren't the only electric car manufacturer out there. Volvo subsidiary, Polestar, just crash tested their own carbon fiber electric car. Interestingly, they note that carbon fiber presents certain challenges when engineering cars for safety.

Check out the crash test here.

In contrast to a steel body where bending helps the integrated crumple zones to reduce the amount of crash energy that reaches the vehicle’s occupants, carbon fibre dissipates energy by cracking and shattering. Close attention was given to the way the carbon fibre body reacted to the extreme forces involved in the impact. The engineers also focused on how the underlying steel body structure, and carbon fibre ‘dragonfly’ which strengthens it, managed the forces.
 
Last edited:
Why are there small explosions on the top of the roof?

I can't imagine they're there for the fun factor. But I couldn't blame them it if they were.
 
Tesla has gained a reputation for acing crash tests, but they aren't the only electric car manufacturer out there. Volkswagen subsidiary, Polestar, just crash tested their own carbon fiber electric car. Interestingly, they note that carbon fiber presents certain challenges when engineering cars for safety.

Check out the crash test here.

In contrast to a steel body where bending helps the integrated crumple zones to reduce the amount of crash energy that reaches the vehicle’s occupants, carbon fibre dissipates energy by cracking and shattering. Close attention was given to the way the carbon fibre body reacted to the extreme forces involved in the impact. The engineers also focused on how the underlying steel body structure, and carbon fibre ‘dragonfly’ which strengthens it, managed the forces.

Just a small correction, Polestar is Volvo, not Volkswagen.
 
Why are there small explosions on the top of the roof?

I can't imagine they're there for the fun factor. But I couldn't blame them it if they were.

I'm not part of the test team, but my strong suspicion is that these are indicators that are triggered by certain events such as when an airbag is deployed so that the exact video frame that the deployment event is triggered is recorded. This allows the engineers to evaluate the state of crumple at exactly the moment the airbag or other event is triggered. The array on the roof would be aligned so that each flash represents a unique event, airbag trigger, or crumple zone penetration, and these would be decoded in post-analysis.
 
correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't carbon fiber dust carcinogenic?
As in, the micro fibers are not that different from asbestos inside the body.
 
I didn't like the way the hood lifted during the impact. It looks like it would puncture the windshield and cut off peoples heads.
 
correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't carbon fiber dust carcinogenic?
As in, the micro fibers are not that different from asbestos inside the body.
I forget what the term is, but carbon fiber isn’t like that. It doesn’t dust or whatever.
 
I didn't like the way the hood lifted during the impact. It looks like it would puncture the windshield and cut off peoples heads.

Given how it appears the hinges cleanly cut free and the hood was clearly traveling up the A-pillars (probably out of harms way), I doubt that would be a problem. However, i'm in no way qualified/trained to comment on these videos. I trust Volvo of all manufacturers have people who are.
 
correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't carbon fiber dust carcinogenic?
As in, the micro fibers are not that different from asbestos inside the body.

There is some evidence that microscopic carbon fibers can contribute to granulomatous lesions and fibrogenic effects. (The body attempts to surround the foreign material in a capsule of tissue)
 
Given how it appears the hinges cleanly cut free and the hood was clearly traveling up the A-pillars (probably out of harms way), I doubt that would be a problem. However, i'm in no way qualified/trained to comment on these videos. I trust Volvo of all manufacturers have people who are.

Well for the sake of everyone who buys this car, let's hope so. :)
 
At least Geely (Volvo's owner) have learned much about crumple zones. They're not just for the whole car.

 
I'd imagine that part of the challenge is that carbon fiber doesn't yield and bend the same way metals do.

So much of the crumple zone energy absorbtion that modern car safety is based on has to do with the energy being consumed bending metal.
 
Back
Top