Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Tesla Model S scores highest marks ever on U.S. crash testing
yahoo.com ^ | August 20, 2013 | Justin Hyde

Posted on 08/20/2013 9:10:28 PM PDT by grundle

As much as electric car builders hail their vehicles as the future of transportation, one question they couldn't answer fully was just how well their vehicles would withstand a crash. Automakers have spent decades finessing their chassis; what happened when an engine-less vehicle went head-on into a barrier wasn't clear, and as the post crash-test smoldering of a Chevy Volt demonstrated, the batteries posed new challenges.

Leave it to Tesla to provide the first hard evidence — with data from U.S. government tests showing the Model S sedan may be the most crash-proof passenger vehicle on the road today.

Normally, Tesla's garnering of five stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's crash tests wouldn't be a headline; most new cars and trucks get at least five stars in frontal crash protection and four stars in side impact. But the Model S did better than that; it got five stars in all tests; front, side impact, pole and rollover prevention. Plus, the scores of its frontal, side and rollover test combined were higher than any car ever crashed by NHTSA — and according to Tesla, at one point the testers nearly broke their equipment trying to damage the Model S.

For its front crash tests, NHTSA runs vehicles into a wall at 35 mph. Most cars use a combination of crumple zones — often pieces of their steel frames that look like accordion bellows — air bags and engine mounts that send the motor underneath the car to protect passengers. Since the Model S has no engine up front, it has more space for crumple zones in its aluminum chassis.

(Excerpt) Read more at autos.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: boondoggle; cars; elonmusk; environmentalist; governmentmotors; greenagenda; musk; obama; subsidy; tesla; teslamodels; teslamotors; tolerance
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-63 next last

1 posted on 08/20/2013 9:10:28 PM PDT by grundle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: grundle

as soon as I can scrape together that last 49k I will own a Tesla!


2 posted on 08/20/2013 9:16:36 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey (Block Captain..Tyranny Response Team)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: grundle

Every new auto assembly plant gets a chance to advance the state-of-the-art in automation and technology, but Tesla had more money than most, and did an amazing job of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_lfxPI5ObM

You can get a pretty good idea of how the car is designed by watching it being assembled. Not a lot of low-skilled jobs in this factory.


3 posted on 08/20/2013 9:22:39 PM PDT by bigbob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: grundle

You couldn’t give me one.


4 posted on 08/20/2013 9:29:52 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (I aim to raise a million plus for Gov. Palin. What'll you do?.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: grundle

They are gorgeous. Might be the wife’s next car.


5 posted on 08/20/2013 9:34:25 PM PDT by moehoward
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: grundle

Maybe Musk will buy the Nobel peace prize next.


6 posted on 08/20/2013 9:39:55 PM PDT by Mamzelle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

“You couldn’t give me one.”

Consumer Reports highest scoring car ever. Best crash tests ever. Great looking exterior and interior. Current owners love it. 0-60 in 4.5 seconds. Priced too high for me or I’d buy one in a second. But you would not take one if it was given to you? I really don’t understand why fellow conservatives are so against electric vehicles. Yes there are the government subsidies but do you want liberals to get all the money? This is exciting technology that still is in it’s infancy but the Tesla Model S and Nissan Leaf are amazing vehicles. Test drive a Leaf. You will surprised what a nice car it really is.


7 posted on 08/20/2013 9:45:05 PM PDT by willk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: grundle
The early Oldsmobile Aurora broke the auto crash test machine They had to test it on the one built for trucks
8 posted on 08/20/2013 9:45:37 PM PDT by Insigne123 (It is the soldier, not the community organizer, who gives us freedom of the press)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: grundle
As soon as they build a 4x4 pickup that has the off-road capability of my F-150, is as reliable, has the same cost of ownership (or lower), can go as far on a charge as I currently go on a tank of gas, can be fully recharged in the same amount of time it currently takes me to fill my tank, and has a similar price tag, I'd be in the market for one.

I'm not holding my breath.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

9 posted on 08/20/2013 9:53:12 PM PDT by wku man (It's almost deer season, got your DEERGOGGLES on yet? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jexrnFq2fXY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: willk

Does it come in a woody model?

10 posted on 08/20/2013 9:54:27 PM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: willk

From my statement you assumed that I was against electric vehicles? Nope, I said I wouldn’t take a Tesla. Do you have any idea what it’ll cost to replace those batteries? To install a charger in your garage? To charge the batteries? Do you have AAA to tow you constantly when the batteries run out? Did you know they only tow someone X number of times a year? What are insurance costs for such an expensive vehicle? Nice toy for someone like George Clooney who has a stable of cars. A daily driver? Hardly. Maybe someday.


11 posted on 08/20/2013 9:55:37 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (I aim to raise a million plus for Gov. Palin. What'll you do?.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: grundle

2015 the turbo Honda Civic hits the market with an avg 60 MPG at 300 hp. Sweet.


12 posted on 08/20/2013 10:01:49 PM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult (Liberals make unrealistic demands on reality and reality doesn't oblige them.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: willk

I’d take one to.

I look at it for what it is a high priced sports car...some folks would never buy a Corvette or even a Mustang for that matter..let alone a Tesla or Lamborghini

Unless you live in a big city the electrics are not going to be daily drivers for awhile, but I suspect they will get there much faster than most here suspect.


13 posted on 08/20/2013 10:06:54 PM PDT by montanajoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: grundle

Anyone tech junkies like me, following Tesla closely? I’m pretty excited for Tesla esp with their expansion of Tesla station around US. Being stuck in the middle of nowhere will be a thing of the past


14 posted on 08/20/2013 10:09:04 PM PDT by 4rcane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 4rcane

15 posted on 08/20/2013 10:14:23 PM PDT by 4rcane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: 4rcane

Do you know the average miles per charge on a Tesla?

Just wondering and too lazy to look it up.


16 posted on 08/20/2013 10:27:49 PM PDT by hirn_man
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Hillarys Gate Cult
2015 the turbo Honda Civic hits the market with an avg 60 MPG at 300 hp. Sweet.

Had a 2004 Honda Civic si that I loved. Put 240,000 miles on it. I may have to pick up one of these Honda Turbos....

17 posted on 08/20/2013 10:38:10 PM PDT by freebilly (Creepy and the Ass Crackers....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Hillarys Gate Cult

Damn...! It looks like the Civic type R is only being released in the European market....


18 posted on 08/20/2013 10:42:32 PM PDT by freebilly (Creepy and the Ass Crackers....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: hirn_man

a range of up to 265 miles (426 km) per charge


19 posted on 08/20/2013 10:42:48 PM PDT by 4rcane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: hirn_man

Tesla supercharger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TszRyT8hjJE


20 posted on 08/20/2013 10:45:20 PM PDT by 4rcane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-63 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson