'Kwang' Battery Intact Despite Crumpled Car Body Like Paper... Electric Vehicle Crash Results Revealed

Mercedes-Benz Korea Hosts Electric Vehicle Safety Insight Event
World's First Head-On Collision Test with Two Electric Vehicles
Greater Vehicle Deformation Means Less Passenger Impact
Automatic High-Voltage Battery Current Cutoff During Collision

# Two Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles weighing over 2 tons each collide head-on. The speed of the oncoming cars is 56 km/h. Considering the relative speed, it exceeds 110 km/h. This assumes a collision accident where a vehicle crosses the center line and crashes into an oncoming vehicle. At the moment the two cars collide, the bumpers crumple like paper, and shattered parts scatter in all directions. Tires come off and roll on the ground. The front parts of the vehicles are crushed beyond recognition. However, the battery lying on the floor remains intact, and the driver's seat and passenger cabin also maintain their shape. The car doors open without issue. This suggests that occupants can escape during an accident and the possibility of casualties caused by the battery is low.

Mercedes-Benz Korea held an 'Electric Vehicle Safety Insight' event at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on the 21st. On this day, Mercedes-Benz Korea introduced the electric sports utility vehicles (SUVs) EQA and EQB, which returned as facelifted models after 2 and 3 years respectively, and also presented the results of electric vehicle crash tests conducted last year at the German headquarters.

On the 21st, electric vehicles used in electric vehicle crash tests were exhibited at the Mercedes-Benz Korea Electric Vehicle Safety Insight event held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul.
[Photo by Mercedes-Benz Korea]

Last year, Mercedes-Benz conducted a head-on collision test using two electric vehicles, the EQA and EQS SUV. They demonstrated a collision test with two electric vehicles driving towards each other and disclosed the results. Mercedes-Benz is the first to publicly release electric vehicle collision results. At the event, Mercedes-Benz Korea invited engineers from the headquarters who participated in the crash test to explain the process and results, and also exhibited the vehicles used in the test. The test scenario was designed based on the fact that accidents involving crossing the center line, such as drowsy driving, are the most frequent.

Marcel Brodbeck, a Mercedes-Benz crash test engineer, said, "The fact that many parts of the vehicle are deformed means that the impact energy was absorbed evenly. To secure sufficient occupant survival space, the front layout must be designed considering the collision energy transfer path."

The biggest concern in electric vehicle accidents is high-voltage battery leakage. Secondary accidents such as electric shock or fire can occur due to leakage. Mercedes-Benz takes eight levels of safety measures to prevent high-voltage battery leakage.

At the Mercedes-Benz Korea Electric Vehicle Safety Insight event held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on the 21st, Marcel Brodbeck, a Mercedes-Benz crash test engineer, is giving a presentation.
[Photo by Mercedes-Benz Korea]

First, the high-voltage battery pack is designed to withstand deformation even under considerable impact. Additionally, the system automatically cuts off all current inside the vehicle when airbags deploy due to a collision. If the automatic cutoff function does not operate, a manual deactivation function allows rescue personnel to cut off the current manually. High-voltage cables are placed in the center of the vehicle, where damage risk is lowest, and the covers of high-voltage components have reinforced rigidity.

Mercedes-Benz used one male and three female crash test dummies in this test. Analysis of about 150 measurement points attached to the dummies showed a low risk of fatal injuries. Julia Hinners, a Mercedes-Benz safety engineer, said, "The safety of the vehicle itself is important for electric vehicles. Based on accident data, we identify which parts of the vehicle frequently experience impact and deformation, and design the high-voltage system to exclude dangerous zones."