Tesla Roadster crash test pics as it passes all federal safety standards
It's pretty and it's ugly at the same time. The picture above is just one of a series of crash test pictures that Tesla's Malcolm Powell (vice president of vehicle integration) posted yesterday over on the Tesla Motors blog. Powell is excited because the Roadster has now made it through the final round of crash tests. He writes:
Thanks to great design, structural analysis, build quality and well run test management, we have successfully completed the entire suite of dynamic impact testing to meet both FMVSS [Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards] and, as importantly, our own very strenuous internal performance targets.
There are also some less-obvious standards - window defrogging, headlight positioning, rear visibility - that the Roadster has also passed. The news, then, is that the Tesla Roadster meets all necessary FMVSS test requirements and will be allowed to be sold in the Federal Market. After all the negative news surrounding the car and the company recently, Powell's post is most welcome indeed.
Related:
- Tesla has a solution for their transmission woes: get rid of it!
- Martin Eberhard's blog gets redacted, he drinks the Volt Kool-Aid
- Tesla Founder's Blog is live and Martin's not happy!
- Elon Musk finally speaks publicly on what's going at Tesla, plans to stay independant, go public
- Uh-oh: Wired picks Tesla Roadster for annual Vaporware awards
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
fnc 1:11PM (1/25/2008)
I hate it when the windows in my car get all frogged up.
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RickM 1:44PM (1/25/2008)
I didn't even know the car was amphibious.
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Throwback 2:07PM (1/25/2008)
He could have thanked Lotus for building such a strong car in the first place.
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Rojo 2:11PM (1/25/2008)
I'd like to lodge a complaint: That picture is almost graphic enough to make a grown man cry. Can we get a disclaimer or 'NSFA' roll-over warning image, perhaps?
Seriously good, good news that Tesla is one (huge) step closer to full production. Now, about that sticker price...
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stevejust 2:48PM (1/25/2008)
Now about those Fisker Karma road tests....
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jackd 6:40PM (1/25/2008)
The Lotus is not a strong car. If you do your research you will see that they filed and received an exemption from the most important and stringent FMVSS108 reg on the basis of financial hardship.
Tesla did the same, and recently was granted this exemption. Drive it at your own risk!
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CARazed 6:51PM (1/25/2008)
OUCH! But necessary. Nice to see they are making real progress. Can't wait to get silently passed by one of these things. http://www.carazed.com
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Paul Allen 9:18PM (1/25/2008)
"The Lotus is not a strong car. If you do your research you will see that they filed and received an exemption from the most important and stringent FMVSS108 reg on the basis of financial hardship."
Hey, Jack, good job not letting the actual facts get in the way of your fear-mongering.
Uhhh, that FMVSS108 is for headlight standards, and has NOTHING to do with the car's structure.
http://calcoast-itl.com/assets/FEDERAL%20REGISTER%202004%20Review.pdf
http://www.sandsmuseum.com/cars/elise/thecar/body/fedexemption.html
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jackd 7:52PM (1/25/2008)
Yeah, typo. FMVSS208
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Chris M 3:14AM (1/26/2008)
Jackd: The exemption was for a new style of air bags, which, due to limited supplies being bought up by the big companies, were not available to Lotus or Tesla (or several dozen other car companies). The Tesla Roadster is equipped with airbags, just not the latest version. It passed the tests, it is safe enough.
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malcolm wilson 2:34PM (1/27/2008)
Yeah FMVSS 208
Ferrari got an exemption too
http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/RRDev/sfbay-central_valley_noi.pdf (see last page)
Always a problem with that child or 5th percentile adult out-of-position requirement.
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jake 10:06PM (1/26/2008)
@jackd
"The Lotus is not a strong car. If you do your research you will see that they filed and received an exemption from the most important and stringent FMVSS108 reg on the basis of financial hardship."
I think Chris M is right. The only exemption they got was for child safe "smart" airbags that automatically disable for passengers underweight (or something to the same effect). It doesn't really effect the overall safety of the vehicle.
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