
Tesla Model X Is First SUV to Achieve 5-Star Crash Rating in Every Category - gk1
https://www.tesla.com/blog/tesla-model-x-5-star-safety-rating
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jamesred
I know Tesla likes to tout a best in class crash rating. It just isn't true
for the Model S.

The Model S gets a "A" for acceptable on the front small overlap test from the
IIHS. The highest grade is a "G".

[http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/vehicle/v/tesla/model-s-4-d...](http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/vehicle/v/tesla/model-s-4-door-
hatchback/2017)

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greglindahl
The article (which I'm sure you read) is not about IIHS testing. It's about
NHTSA testing. Also, I believe that Tesla planned on tweaking the car for this
IIHS issue.

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austenallred
Also, it's about a different car

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Vik1ng
Still relevant since Tesla claims the Model X is the safest car after the
Model S, but other crash test show that the Model S also has its flaws.

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azhenley
Was the Model X not tested and rated previously? It has been out for a while
now.

I assumed any vehicle in the US had to be rated by these safety agencies
before it could be sold.

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btian
They have to buy the cars from open market like everybody else.

If manufacturers provide cars, they'll reinforce everything lol

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AdamN
NHTSA testing, unlike IIHS tests, doesn't test hitting a pedestrian as I
understand. That should be part of the test.

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aag
They must have trouble recruiting volunteers.

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mpalmes
This is a great result for Tesla and shows the benefits of an electric SUV.
Though it would be interesting to see results from Euro NCAP and IIHS as well,
as the Model X has yet to be tested by either.

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gavreh
The vehicle in the image on the article does not look like an SUV, from a size
perspective. Are there NTSB qualifications that designates something a "car"
vs "SUV"?

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Retric
I think they call it a crossover, which is kind of a car / SUV hybrid.

Model X is 198″ L x 82″ W x 66″ H. A BMW x5 looks more like an SUV and is 192″
L x 76″ W x 69″ H so the BMW x5 is -6"L, -10"W, +3"H. (Or consider the 2009
Mercedes-Benz G-Class which very much looks like an SUV, but is again only
184″ L x 71-72″ W x 76″ H. [https://www.cars.com/research/mercedes_benz-
g_class-2009/](https://www.cars.com/research/mercedes_benz-g_class-2009/))

For comparison a BMW 3 series is 182"L x 71.3"W x 56.3"H So it's -16 inches L,
-10 inches W, -10 inches height.

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bkjelden
82" is very wide for a vehicle in the US.

Even the Ford Excursion, one of the most gargantuan SUVs ever produced, was
only 80" wide:
[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Excursion](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Excursion)

I imagine parking a Model X is a challenge.

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beambot
Shouldn't it be able to park itself...?

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chc
AFAIK that feature is just now about to be added in the next update. I don't
know how well it works.

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DEinspanjer
No, they just added the ability to auto-park unattended in a perpendicular
spot. From launch, it was able to park itself without an occupant by driving
straight into a spot head or tail first. With the driver still sitting in the
car, it can parallel park as well as perpendicular park. Those parking
features work fine, but I am looking forward to the unattended perpendicular
parking as it is the most common parking scenario.

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nraynaud
what about Euroncap ratings? It looks like the NHTSA only does occupant safety
while the european system does pedestrian and safety for other cars.

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BinaryIdiot
> the european system does pedestrian and safety for other cars.

I had no idea this difference existed. That's really interesting!

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nraynaud
before briefly working at a car maker, I was completely oblivious too. But
there we had those crazy discutions about hitting pedestrians without breaking
their legs, and designing the hood to receive them with less injury, and
bumper height that would be more or less the same for many cars.

here is an extract from a euroncap test (Volvo S90->pedestrian->Comments):
"The S90 has an 'active' bonnet. Sensors in the bumper detect when a
pedestrian has been hit and actuators raise the bonnet to provide greater
clearance to rigid structures in the engine bay. Volvo showed that the system
deployed for a variety of pedestrian statures and over a broad range of
speeds. Accordingly, the system was tested with the bonnet in the raised
(deployed) position. Protection against head injury was almost entirely good.
The protection provided by the bumper to pedestrians' legs was good for all
test locations and maximum points were scored. However, protection of the
pelvis was poor at nearly all test locations."

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cr0sh
It's nice that Tesla makes an SUV, and it's nice that it has achieved this
rating, but I'm also of the opinion that this vehicle is an SUV in name only.

I'd love to someday own a capable off-road 4wd electric vehicle - but this one
doesn't seem like it. Such a vehicle would have to be able to handle at least
a moderate to mid-moderate vehicle rated (3 - 3.5) trail:

[http://www.dirtopia.com/wiki/4WD_Trail_Rating#3._Moderate](http://www.dirtopia.com/wiki/4WD_Trail_Rating#3._Moderate)

This vehicle doesn't seem to have the ground clearance to do so; whether it
could be safely modified (lifted) is questionable. While given enough time and
money you can lift any vehicle, there are practical limits. Plus - in the case
of an electric vehicle - you also have weight limits (to lift a vehicle you'll
likely be adding longer springs, shocks, plus other components to allow for
the increased wheel travel - that all adds up to more weight, meaning fewer
miles per charge). There's also the question of underbody armor to prevent
intrusion into the battery areas (similar to skid-plates for drive-train
components in a regular off-road vehicle, you'll want to prevent damage to the
batteries as well in an electric - which again means more weight).

Will this kind of vehicle satisfy the crowd that wants to drive something big
and (seemingly) capable, but isn't willing to own a minivan or station wagon -
to ferry kids and groceries between parks, school, home, and mall? Sure.

But it likely won't be safe to take it off-road on a 4-wheeling adventure trip
(it'd probably be ok for most graded dirt roads, though - so for basic camping
trips).

I think I'm going to be waiting a while still for my hypothetical vehicle.
Right now, the biggest limit (as always) is the batteries (unless you want to
trailer it to the trail) - because of the weight vs range issue. What it may
take is a complete rethinking and redesign of what an off-road vehicle means
or needs. Probably more lightweight but strong composite components, or maybe
something even more exotic - unless the battery technology improves (ie - if
the stuff we've seen in labs becomes consumer-friendly and practical to
manufacture). Hopefully, though, with those changes also comes ways for
recovery in the event of broken parts on the trail (today if you break an axle
or drive component, you at least have the possibility to repair it on-the-
trail without necessarily needing to carry replacement parts, using a welder
or other means - though some people -do- carry such components as well, which
might become the norm for electric off-roading).

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cuu508
Also mud & water. If you drive through deep water with a conventional car,
worst thing that can happen is you hydrolock the engine. Don't want to think
what happens when you try to cross a shallow river in an electric...

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falcolas
Well, if the voltage is low enough, not much. 24 volts, which IIRC is what the
Tesla runs at, won't do too much interesting in anything but really salty
water. Any high voltage coils, though, might not fare as well.

Worth a try, though. Anyone with a Tesla want to give it a go? I've got a few
rivers nearby...

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Yetanfou
The battery voltage on a Tesla model S is 375 V [1]. The motor(s) supposedly
run at 365 V AC.

If you think about it a bit it would be hard to get the stated 300+KW using a
24V motor in a car as it would take conductors which can cope with a current
of 12500 A. The P90D has a stated total power of 568KW, giving 23667 A. The
thing would glow in the dark...

[1] [https://forums.tesla.com/forum/forums/technical-battery-
disc...](https://forums.tesla.com/forum/forums/technical-battery-discussion)

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falcolas
Fair enough. And yeah, the conductors would be a big problem at low voltage
with that kind of amperage.

Probably would not fare well in water then. Still up for the test...

