Mercedes Crashes Two CLAs To Demonstrate EV Safety
Car safety has come a long way in recent decades, and eager to demonstrate just how safe the new-generation CLA is, Mercedes-Benz conducted a crash test unlike any other. It used a petrol-powered CLA Shooting Brake to slam into the side of an all-electric CLA sedan, replicating exactly the type of T-bone crash that often happens at intersections.
Automakers have tested side-impact performance for years, using a heavy crash cart to simulate a second vehicle. Mercedes-Benz's latest test goes one step further and, apparently, is the first of its kind to involve two moving vehicles, letting it see exactly how the two models perform. The narration is a little overdramatic, as if Mercedes just landed a man on the moon, but Mercedes declares all the test dummies were kept safe.
In the test, both vehicles were traveling at 56 km/h. As the front of the CLA Shooting Brake hits its sedan counterpart, the crumple zone absorbs much of the impact, while the front and side airbags deploy instantly in the cabin. As for the innocent CLA sedan that was crashed into, the doors take most of the impact, and the glass is shattered. The airbags also fire into life, including airbags between the front passengers.
Pop-out door handles that actually work
The new CLA features pop-out door handles, the same kind that have been outlawed in China, and may eventually be banned in Europe, too. In this case, the door handles popped out shortly after the impact, and the side windows were opened. Mercedes also says the electric motor's high-voltage battery automatically shut down and disconnected from the drivetrain. Similarly, the Shooting Brake's fuel system shut down to prevent the car from catching fire.
As for the eight crash-test dummies used, all of the readings remained below biomechanical limits, suggesting a low risk of serious or life-threatening injuries. Beyond the test showing how two vehicles can perform in a T-bone crash, it's also interesting as it shows what can occur during a crash involving an ICE and an EV. Next, we'd like to see Mercedes slam its new AMG GT SUV into a CLA. That behemoth weighs as much as 5,985 lbs (2,715 kg), and the small CLA and its passengers may not escape so lightly.