And yes, it crumples like a tin can. There is a lot more to designing a usable car then having it go 90 miles before needing an 8 hour recharge. And yes, the same people that howl that we need electric cars NOW will be the first one to sue when that very same electric car allows their loved one (or favorite pet) to die. Don’t blame me. I am just the messenger.

Now as a former auto engineer that has witnessed crash tests first hand, there are a few things that need to be pointed out. First off, crumpling is the every best thing for a crash. It means the car is absorbing energy and reducing the deceleration felt by the passengers. In this test the hood did not slice into the windshield, which is very good, but the windshield got penetrated by the concrete block, which is very bad. Having the driver door fly open is probably a failure under the safety codes but the important factor is what happened to the footwells. If they got crushed then the passengers are severely hurt. If there was some integrity kept down there then this may be a dramatic crash, but it is safer than a tidy one where everything just stops in an instant.

It is interesting that the same crowd that cheered Ralph Nader for destroying the first innovative car GM came out with are the same ones willing to give a pass to electric car people, at least until one of the opinion elite gets killed in one, that is.