Comparison of frontal crash compatibility metrics between battery-electric and internal-combustion-engine passenger vehicles.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if there are any emerging issues related to battery-electric vehicles' (BEVs') geometry, force distribution, and extra weight that may make them more aggressive partners in front-to-front crashes through comparisons of stiffness metrics derived from crash tests.

Methods: We examined load cell wall data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) New Car Assessment Program full-width frontal crash test at 56 km/h. Fourteen BEVs, ranging in class from small cars to large SUVs, were compared with 92 internal-combustion-engine (ICE) vehicles, ranging in class from small cars to midsize pickups.