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The innovative Gordon Murray Design T.27 Electric City Car has passed its first crash test with flying colours.
The mandatory EC 40% offset deformable barrier front high-speed impact test was carried out at MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association) and the T.27 had zero cabin intrusion. The measured results were extremely close to those predicted by computer simulation.
This result is a great endorsement for Gordon Murray Design’s iStream manufacturing system which delivers reduced weight and cost with increased levels of safety. The iStream composite monocoque brings Formula One technology to mass production vehicles with significantly higher specific energy absorption rates compared with conventional bodied cars.
Frank Coppuck, Gordon Murray Design’s Engineering Director said: “This crash test represents a major milestone in vehicle safety and in the history of Gordon Murray Design. It clearly demonstrates that cars built using iStream technology can achieve low weight, cost and significant reductions in energy usage during manufacturing without compromising safety.”
The development of the T.27, by Gordon Murray Design and Zytek Automotive Ltd, has been made possible through a £4.5m investment from the government-backed Technology Strategy Board. With a total cost of £9m, the consortium will develop running prototypes of the vehicle by spring 2011.
