Hyundai Motor assures IONIQ 5’s safety performance

HMG demonstrated the safety of its EV IONIQ 5 in a crash test [Source : HMG]

South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) on Thursday demonstrated the safety of its all-electric vehicle (EV) IONIQ 5 in a crash test that drove the battery-equipped car at 64 kilometers per hour into a 100-ton installation amid growing safety concerns about EVs and battery fires.

HMG invited reporters last week to oversee a safety evaluation test conducted at Namyang R&D Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. The test involved the IONIQ 5 crashing into a 100-ton test installation at a speed of 64 kilometers per hour, leaving 40 percent of the EV front destroyed.

After the crash, HMG researchers came into the test site and checked [Source : HMG]

After the crash, HMG researchers came into the test site and checked issues related to body deformation, leakage, fire, airbag performance, and seat belts. Although there were damages on the front part and wheels, IONIQ 5, equipped with HMG’s EV platform E-GMP that received the highest G rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), remained intact. The airbags and battery were working well.

HMG conducts more than 100 virtual tests per car model to simulate actual accidents. The tests include frontal and offset tests at each development stage before the release.

The car manufacturer spends enormous resources on safety tests, believing safety ensures quality.

Its Executive Chairman Euisun Chung in his New Year’s message also underscored the importance of safety and quality, saying that “keeping the basic promise of quality and safety will allow consumers to trust us and join new change and challenge.”

A virtual simulation requires minimum 15 hours to achieve an outcome. About 45,000 hours are spent on crash safety development using the simulation per model. The safety development cost amounts to 10 billion won ($8 million) per vehicle.

“We collect and use all of the data from accidents around the world to enhance our products,” said Baek Chang-in, director at HMG.