Crash testing of E-Vehicles (electrified vehicles, e.g. electric and hybrid electric vehicles) is required to assure compliance with global safety regulations and standards as well as the even higher requirements set by the car manufacturers themselves. The introduction of E-Vehicle battery systems of as much as 200 to 600 Volt dc presents new safety considerations when performing crash tests. At a crash test, safety by regulations, standards and ratings as well as the limits of durability are investigated. If investigating the limits of durability, scenarios such as release of harmful gases and thermal events must not be disregarded. In order to ensure safe testing conditions, regardless of the severity of impact to be evaluated, new risk analysis, routines and laboratory designs need to be assessed when a new technology, such as high voltage (HV) battery systems, are introduced to the vehicle market.

Autoliv has a long experience in crashworthiness testing and offers car manufacturers assessments of crash safety in laboratories and crash tracks available on all continents. E-Vehicles are being crash tested as well, and for that reason Autoliv have established research and testing capabilities for HV batteries as well as updated routines and laboratory designs. Besides Autoliv’s full size crash tracks around the world a new laboratory facility for battery sled testing is now available in Sweden for high-risk durability-limit testing.