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Chicago Volvo drivers interested in a Volvo electric car may have heard about the Volvo C30 Electric. The Volvo C30 Electirc is set to be released later this year, and because Volvo is so concerned about safety Volvo wants to show that Electric cars can be just as safe as cars with combustion engines. Volvo of Lisle is proud to announce the recent unveiling of crash test results in Volvo C30 electric cars. Volvo has been the first brand to show the world how safe an electric car looks after a collision at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.

Volvo C30 safety from Chicago Volvo dealer

With climate change in focus, interest in electric cars has increased considerably amongst Chicago Volvo drivers. The fact is, an electric motor is almost four times more energy-efficient than a combustion engine. When an electric car is recharged using renewable energy it produces virtually no carbon dioxide emissions. Though the C30 Electric minimizes carbon dioxide, Volvo refuses to sacrifice their integrity.

”The C30 Electric meets car buyers’ increasing demands for minimised carbon dioxide emissions. However, this can under no circumstances come at the expense of other properties that customers expect of their Volvos. That is why our electric C30 has to be as comfortable, as usable, as fun to drive and as safe as all the other C30 variants,” explains Lennart Stegland, director of Volvo Cars’ Special Vehicles division.

The Volvo C30 Electric was tested with the battery fully charged at Volvo Cars’ crash test laboratory in early December 2010. The crash was a so-called offset collision in which 40 percent of the front hit a barrier at 40 mph. The test yielded impressive results. The C30 Electric distributed the crash energy exactly the same as the C30 with a combustion engine.

The structure of an electric car differs considerably from that of a conventional car – and the new components pose a number of new safety challenges. In order to give the Volvo C30 Electric a range of up to 95 miles (150 km) it is necessary to have a battery pack that weighs about 660 lb (300 kg) and this takes up far more space than a conventional fuel tank. Under the bonnet, the combustion engine has been replaced by a more packaging-efficient and lighter electric motor. What is more, the car has a 400 Volt high-voltage electric system.

“Our far-reaching research emphasises the importance of separating the lithium-ion batteries from the car’s crumple zones and the passenger compartment. This is the same safety approach we apply with regard to the fuel tank in a conventional car. Another challenge is to reinforce the crumple zones at the front where the smaller motor occupies less space than usual,” says Jan Ivarsson.

In the Volvo C30 Electric the batteries are fitted in the traditional fuel tank position and in the tunnel area. The batteries are robustly encapsulated. Beams and other parts of the car’s structure around the battery pack are reinforced. All the cables are shielded for maximum protection.The crash sensor in the car also controls the fuses – and power is cut in 50 milliseconds in a collision by the same signal that deploys the airbags. The system has several fuses that cut directly if an earth fault is detected, such as a damaged cable coming into contact with the body frame.

In a conventional car, the combustion engine helps distribute the incoming collision forces. In the C30 Electric this task is performed by a reinforced frontal structure that also helps absorb the increased collision energy created as a result of the car’s added weight.

The Volvo C30 Electric goes through rigorous test programmes that include a number of virtual crashes. The individual components and systems are also tested individually. Besides the frontal full-scale tests, the C30 has been subject to side collision, rear-end impact, and rigid pole collision testing. Volvo’s goal is to ensure the C30 gives its occupants the best possible crash protection in the accident scenarios that are most frequent in real-life traffic.

Volvo is excited about the challenges electric cars present. Volvo is a recognizably safe brand, determined to build the safest cars in the world. The Volvo C30 Electric will start in Europe and be available to the U.S. Media later this year for test drives.

Chicago Volvo Dealer

Volvo of Lisle is excited to see these new strides coming from the Volvo brand. Chicago Volvo customers can contact Volvo of Lisle for answers to Volvo C30 Electric questions and concerns. This Chicago Volvo dealership is closely following the progress of the Volvo C30 Electric. New updates will be released as they come.

Chicago Volvo customers interested in viewing current Volvo inventory may visit the Volvo of Lisle website: www.volvooflisle.com. Please contact the premier Chicago Volvo dealer, Volvo of Lisle at 888-579-9912

Volvo of Lisle inventory for Chicago Volvo shoppers

2012 Volvo XC60 Price: $43,470	2013 Volvo XC90 Price: $43,775	2012 Volvo XC60 Price: $44,870
2012 Volvo S60 Price: $45,675	2012 Volvo S60 Price: $49,175	2012 Volvo XC60 Price: $44,420
2012 Volvo XC60 Price: $47,025	2012 Volvo XC60 Price: $42,820	2012 Volvo S60 Price: $42,970
2012 Volvo C70 Price: Call for Pricing	2012 Volvo S60 Price: $39,420	2012 Volvo XC60 Price: $44,870