Can anyone tell me if hybrids are safe in major crashes; i.e. 1. electrical surge within the vehicle that will make it dangerous for rescuers to cut the doors open, 2. toxic fume generated by burning battery, 3. electromagnetic field safety profile in human.

J

 

Here is an article I recently came across on hybrid safety, it describes how there is a risk of electric shock but this primarily involves if the voltage cables are cut improperly. According to this article, every fire dept in the US has received information regarding hybrid vehicles and how to do rescue operations with them.

http://www.redsofts.com/articles/rea...Hazardous.html

I just found the official safety guide information:

http://techinfo.toyota.com/public/main/erg.html

Incidentally there was just a crash test video shown on thehollywoodextra blog which found that a Prius did reasonably well in a frontal offset, but as mentioned there are still other considerations besides a single test.

I am interested in this issue as well because I ride in a relative's RX 400h quite often.

 

Very helpful, thanks.

Jim

 

With all that battery weight down low, you have the added safety of never having to worry about a rollover on the highway!

 

1. If anything is damaged (related to the hybrid system that is), the computers will shut off the electrical supply. All HV wires are coloured bright orange

2. Don't know about that but if your vehicle was on fire, I'd move away, not because of the battery but because of the fuel tank

3. I'm pretty sure it passes the FAA test for electronic equipment.

 

I have seen some ridiculous crashes, last thing one should be concerned about after buying >$48k SUV such as 400h is burning to death inside the car because of electrical issues. I hope all rescuers know what they are doing but in emergency situation, I don't think they have time, luxury and brain cells to read through extrication manuals. In this sense, I think buyers must be aware of ALL the possible consequences before they continue to drive hybrids (let's face it; I bet most hybrid buyers buy hybrids to save gas money, not to save the earth, and by the way what Al Gore and John Edwards are preaching is a totallly different issue--damn hippocrats).

 

it is pretty powerful battery we are deaing with here, I know what manufacturers are telling you about safety, but do you think they gathered enough safety profiles, or do you know of any independent researches done (like the cell phone study at Columbia Univ.)? I wouldn't want to buckle down my child next to the battery...

 

I wondered about that myself. I bought the car because it gets more than double the gas mileage of my Jeep Grand Cherokee and it has the same power, room and comfort. I do not believe in the whole global warming BS. If there is global warming it is not caused by man. I am almost embarrassed to drive a car with the hybrid logo on it because some people my think I am a environmentalist nut. I believe in treating the environment with respect but this whole earth save movement has gone way overboard.


BTW In a bad accident the computer will cut off the power and make the car safe so the thought of the added danger from batteries is a non-issue to me

I wonder how many people feel the same way as you and I do?

 

Silvervett, more people need to read our messages. By the way, is 400h insurance any cheaper than 350? And what is 400h average MPG?

 

I bought the hybrid because it was more environmentally friendly and because I love tech gadgets. I definitely don't consider myself to be a staunch environmentalist. I previously had a GX470 and loved the vehicle. The cost of the gas didn't play into my decision of trading it in for the 400h. It was more that I was driving a large SUV 30 miles each way to work each day, and it seemed silly to me to be burning all that gas in such a large SUV, just to get one person back and forth when there was a luxury alternative like the 400h... I initially bought the GX because I was moving my kids back and forth to college every spring and fall, and wanted the space to accomplish that. I enjoy being up high, and having the 4WD/AWD here in the northeast, so an SUV is my vehicle of choice. I wish Lexus would come out with a hybrid GX, I'd probably go back to it... Maybe after its redesign...

Jim

 

what is the average mpg on 400h?

 

True but I'm pretty sure they know a bright orange wire is a big nono and they shouldn't touch it or cut it.

 

But you'll happily buckle your child on top of a fuel tank? (most fuel tanks are under the rear seat).

 

fuel tank+battery is worse than tank alone. Think logically. Many people seems to be in denial because they drive hybrids. Don't get me wrong, I would have jumped on hybrid hype but I am not willing to primarily to save gas money. Until more 'trials' and data are provided. Have you heard 'electromagnetic waves' in physics class?

 

That is unless you went with Minivan like Sienna.
Actually they are usually under the trunk side?