Crashes
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The 2011 Chevy Volt is a remarkably complex automobile, so crash damage is likely to cost more to repair than with a conventional automobile. This difference in price, however, is likely less than you think.
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Nissan Leaf Scores 5-Star NHTSA Crash Safety Rating
The Nissan Leaf is the first and only electric car to be crash tested by the NHTSA and it has passed with flying colors.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
What Would You Give Up For Higher Gas Mileage? Cash? Features? Safety?
It happens every time. Gas prices go up sharply, and new car buyers suddenly decide that gas mileage is important--and shop accordingly. With gas around $4 a gallon in many parts of the country, what would you trade for higher miles per gallon? Would you pay more? Would you buy a smaller car than...
John Voelcker -
2011 Chevy Volt Gets Five Stars For Overall Safety From NHTSA
Well, log another notch in the bedpost: One more safety myth--that electric cars will be more dangerous than regular ones in a crash--has now been slain. Five weeks ago, the Insurance Industry for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave top ratings for crash safety to both the 2011 Nissan Leaf and the 2011...
John Voelcker -
Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf Get Top IIHS Crash-Safety Ratings
Among the many things that confuse or worry potential buyers of plug-in electric cars is whether they'll be safe. One concern is car washes or even deep pools of water, but another is whether the battery pack will be damaged or dangerous in an accident. Well, now you can chalk that last one off the...
John Voelcker -
Electric Cars And Safety: Crashing For Your Reassurance
Range is one of those recurring talking points with electric cars, used by EV critics whenever they want a cheap shot. Keen to make sure safety doesn't become another, the manufacturers are fighting back by proving their electric cars can be just as safe as their gasoline counterparts. Mitsubishi...
Antony Ingram -
It's both true and not-so-true: Small cars are dangerous in a crash. It's true, in that the laws of physics indicate a heavier object will have more momentum than a lighter object when they collide, meaning the small one gets displaced. But it's not so true if you're looking at absolute levels of passenger safety, since all cars--and small cars in particular--have gotten much, much safer overall. Electric minicar, meet barrier The latest demonstration of how safe small cars can be is the crash test video at bottom, in which a Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric car is crashed into a barrier at 40 mph...
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Electric Car Crashes? Just As Safe As Any Other Volvo
Despite thousands of automotive gasoline fires in the U.S. every year, we've pretty much normalized the risks of the highly explosive liquid that we use to fuel our cars. But for electric cars, there's a whole new set of potential fears. One may be driving through water--it's not like tossing a...
John Voelcker -
2011 Detroit Auto Show: Volvo Shows Off Crashed Electric C30
You might think that having a twisted lump of metal on your auto show stand probably isn't the best way to promote your latest product. Most manufacturers would agree with you. The customers tend to prefer cars shinier and in one piece. Volvo aren't "most manufacturers" though and they've never...
Antony Ingram -
Most Popular Posts of 2010: Mazda2, Prius Crashes, Leaf, Volt, and Other EVs
We love looking back to see what's been popular over the course of a full year. And 2010 was definitely chock-full of green car news. Our 10 most popular posts this year are a little less random than last year's most popular, which featured Muslims and ethanol, urine, hybrid Ferraris, and our...
John Voelcker -
Fatal G-Wiz Crash: Confirmed - Another Car Was Involved
Just over a week ago we discussed the aspect of electric car safety, specifically that of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles or NEVs, after 47-year old mother Judit Nadal was tragically killed in her Reva G-Wiz in an accident in London, U.K. Our earlier story was based on initial reports that Mrs Nadal...
Antony Ingram -
How Do First Responders Act Around a Crashed Hybrid or EV?
Once more, a reader question prompts us to share the answer with our entire green car audience. In this case, it's about how first responders should approach accidents that involve vehicles with high-voltage battery packs, whether they're conventional hybrids (e.g. Toyota Prius) or upcoming...
John Voelcker