TCBronson
Elio Addict
I think Elio motors still has a goal to meet the 5 star crash rating even though it is not required. It will be a great selling point if they can achieve that level of safety.
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Crash Testing?
- Thread starter KScarguy
- Start date
Ekh
Elio Addict
The problem is, that the car being three wheeled does not fit the test programs for four wheeled vehicles. So they're going to have to have some kind of equivalent rating. But they can't say five stars. The other important thing is that the iihs is now requiring collision avoidance to be eligible for five stars. Elio does not have that technology and probably won't for quite a while.
Ty
Elio Addict
The Elio may not fit ALL the profiles of 5 star testing but it will fit some. Full frontal and full rear crash tests can easily be performed on the Elio as can side impact, I would think since it tests driver and rear left occupant. offset frontal would be interesting as it would probably shear off the outrigger and may move the Elio to the side enough to avoid a hard hit. Roll-over should be easy enough to test, too. It will be interesting to see what kind of testing Elio Motors chooses to use (and when).
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2011/08/crash-test-101/index.htm
If the the Elio can only perform one or two of the tests, it could garner something like "5-star safety rating in all 3 categories it can be tested in."
Ekh
Elio Addict
Thai, we've been through this before. Existing test protocols specify for example two passengers in the front seat and one of the weight of 180 pounds the other is 130 pounds. I don't have the weights correct but that's the idea. In any event since the Elio has only one passenger in the front, the test protocol has to be modified. That's why Elio can't get a 5-star rating. It can get an equivalent rating, but it cannot get five stars. Elio is working with the iihs to develop a specific protocol for the Elio that will be as close as possible 2 existing protocols.
Ty
Elio Addict
Makes sense, of course. Tailor the tests. It seems the actual test would be the same though but the "scoring" would be different. I mean, running the Elio into a block or getting hit in the side by an equal weight car is easy to do. It's just that the existing tests take injuries to BOTH dummies into account. Elio would be "cheating" by not having that second passenger (except for the side impact test which just requires a driver and left rear passenger). By extension, if you made a car that had zero passengers, it would get an easy 5-star rating as there would be no injuries at all!
So, yeah, I agree that the test scoring needs to be modified to fit single or an in-line passenger.
I'm sure Elio will come up with a good way to preset a high level of safety. Number one, they do need actual tests conducted with positive results.
If they said "we passed the same crash tests (those that apply) that 5 star requires", they could easily not address other things 5 star requirements.
All that EM really needs to do is generate confidence in safety in the buyer's mind. And in my case, my wife's mind.
If they said "we passed the same crash tests (those that apply) that 5 star requires", they could easily not address other things 5 star requirements.
All that EM really needs to do is generate confidence in safety in the buyer's mind. And in my case, my wife's mind.
Ekh
Elio Addict
It's the slight-offset test that looks hard to duplicate -- too skinny a frontal area! Also the distribution of weight from side-to-side vs. front-to-back may make a difference, particularly in side impact. As does the effect of single rear wheel -- will the car skitter, or crumple, or what? TBD.
Ekh
Elio Addict