5 replies to this topic

[mariner]

ThE Euro NCAP organisation have given most EV's a five star rating but have doubts about the safety aspects of their size - not really a surprise.

 

 https://www.autocar....safety-concerns

 

What is surprise is the excellent scores of the Chinse and Vietnam  EV's.  3 of 4 Chinese got 5 starts ( which the popular  KIa EV9 didn't' get ) and the  other two got 4 stars .like the car from Vietnam 

 

Any notion by European car makers that they can outsell China on safety or range seems  unrealistic. 

 

The "heavy is unsafe" comment is I think very similar  to the US studies but with the existing fleet of small cars in Europe and much closer proximity to pedestrians it is a much more serious issue in Europe I think 

 

 

[cbo]

What is surprise is the excellent scores of the Chinse and Vietnam EV's. 3 of 4 Chinese got 5 starts ( which the popular KIa EV9 didn't' get ) and the other two got 4 stars .like the car from Vietnam

Kia EV9 did get 5 stars?

https://www.euroncap...s/Kia/EV9/50191

[Magoo]

Mariner, thank you. Very interesting.

[Greg Locock]

Actually NCAAP your rules are to blame for the growth in mass of cars. They do not penalise additional mass. Same as in the USA where big vehicles get preferential treatment for mpg and emissions. It's easier to make a big nice thing than a small nice thing.

 

Also anyone who things 7 airbags and their supporting structure doesn't add mass to a vehicle can keep their mouth shut. Have you compared the mass of a modern steering column with the necessary harmonic absorbers to a pre airbag one? Or a seat frame fitted for airbags?

[Magoo]

Actually NCAAP your rules are to blame for the growth in mass of cars. They do not penalise additional mass. Same as in the USA where big vehicles get preferential treatment for mpg and emissions. It's easier to make a big nice thing than a small nice thing.

 

Also anyone who things 7 airbags and their supporting structure doesn't add mass to a vehicle can keep their mouth shut. Have you compared the mass of a modern steering column with the necessary harmonic absorbers to a pre airbag one? Or a seat frame fitted for airbags?

 

Oh yeah. Weight, size, and cost. A Honda Civic is now the size of an Accord. 

[Greg Locock]

Car models have always increased in size year by year. All your targets are based on the previous version, and you have to beat them. Shoulder room? Make the car wider. Legroom? make the car longer. And so it goes. Compare a Mk I Golf with the latest- it's about 179mm on width. Plus of course styling always want long wide and less tall. Twice in my life i worked on projects where management said "make that, but cheaper'. All your big architecture decisions made, most of your compromises sorted out, very easy sign off. They were the Austin Montego, based on some Audi, and the Ford Territory, which used a BMW X5 gen 1 to set targets. Fantastic projects, for a development engineer, it was  the poor old design engineers who had to figure out the costing side of things. The Montego with the right engine was a great B roads car. Sadly it was released during Austin Rover's death dive.