Are hybrids less likely to roll over?
Filed under: Hybrid, AutoblogGreen Exclusive
The video below the fold includes Stephen Heckeroth talking about his RAV4 EV on Green Wheels, a Zoom HD TV show. Stephen mentions that the RAV4 EV's 800-pound battery pack is under the floor, as low as you could want it, giving the still-popular electric vehicle a very low center of gravity. This opens up the interesting possibility: What if hybrids, which have a similar battery configuration, are safer than their gas counterparts when it came to rollovers? I cannot find roll over ratings for hybrids to compare to their gasoline-only versions, something I lamented when I did the research for AutoblogGreen safest hybrid award.I have not heard the claim hybrids are less likely to roll over before and I think it would really be a great selling point, especially with the barrage of headlines you often read about SUV rollovers. I will contact the government about the lack of hybrid rollover ratings and report back soon on why we can't have hard numbers on this possibly major advantage for hybrids. In the meantime, tell me, do you think there might be an advantage at all? Would a star or two better rating for a hybrid in rollover tests make you want to buy a hybrid?
[Source: YouTube]
Paris Preview: Honda Insight concept to be new global hybrid
BREAKING: Is this the production Chevy Volt in Transformers 2?
Spy Shot: Production interior of Chevy Volt (maybe)
Pics aplenty: 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid
Paris Preview: Chevy Cruze official pics released
Honda to debut Prius-fighter concept this Thursday
New Ford EcoBoost 3.5L V6 engine smiles for the camera
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-22-2007 @ 10:44AM
Phil L. said...
While I'm not trying to go down the SUV-bashing path...
Rollover risk is near nil as soon as you get out of an SUV. A heavy battery near the bottom of a hybrid car might reduce its rollover risk - but it's already so close to zero that other factors will likely be more important.
A slight difference in rollover rating wouldn't be enough to sway my purchase - but then I don't own an SUV. If I were to buy an SUV, it would be for trailer towing capacity - so a hybrid SUV would have to have trailer towing attributes at least as good as other non-hybrid alternatives before rollover risk would even show up in the decision path.
Most current hybrid SUV designs seem to be "softer" approaches that don't make great use of heavy battery packs. It doesn't appear that there are opportunities for big gains in rollover resistance based on the drivetrain alone.
As an aside, I did have an SUV at one time - and quickly learned that it's a truck, and must be driven as a truck. With this basic fact, I knew to avoid any situation that would get me anywhere near a rollover. As SUVs became popular daily drivers, this knowledge was lost...
Reply
10-22-2007 @ 12:23PM
Michel S. said...
Balanced with that, won't they have longer braking distances due to heavier weight -- or are hybrids fitted with better brakes than their counterpart?
Reply
10-22-2007 @ 12:35PM
Lascelles Linton said...
Michel S, Good point. I will note that in the follow up and some research on that. I am looking up a few things on car density and safety now too. I am finding, surprisingly, almost NOTHING on subject when it comes to hybrid.
Reply
10-22-2007 @ 1:10PM
steven said...
You may want to think twice about this "sales and marketing" style of logic. Hybrid vehicle battery packs don't weigh anywhere NEAR what the electric RAV4's battery pack weighed. Try 100 pounds for a Prius and around 150 for a Camry. Ironically for your hypothesis, as Toyota improves their system, it weighs less and less each version. Same for Honda's. The weight of the Civic battery pack keeps dropping. It could lead to "Sorry newer hybrids are less stable that the older ones!"
BTW.... Roll-over rates for cars are not "nil". They are quite a bit higher, although significantly less than SUVs and pickups. Also keep in mind that most all the studies are pre-stability control.
Reply
10-22-2007 @ 1:20PM
Lascelles Linton said...
Steven, Good points. I thought of this later but if you add in the electric engine(s) too, you get a few hundred pounds.
Reply
10-22-2007 @ 3:18PM
steven said...
@5 Oh man, you're gonna hear it now from the "they're motors not engines" crowd! Of course then there is the Continental U.S. qualifier definition: "If you are south of the Mason-Dixon Line it is a motor. If you are north, it is an engine." :
Reply
10-22-2007 @ 4:50PM
Phil L. said...
>>Roll-over rates for cars are not "nil".
steven -
Point taken. But rollover risk for cars is so low that I know of no consumers who even consider comparing rollover factors when purchasing a car. The same is not true in the SUV/pickup market.
Reply