Importance of Vehicle’s Unloaded Weight Optimization: The Personal Injury Severity Point of View

In the automotive industry, long-term sustainability, carbon–neutral production and vehicle operation have become the most important aspect to be achieved, for which manufacturers see the transition to full electrification as an option and a means to a long-term solution. In addition to meeting environmental concerns, it is also necessary to meet the needs and wishes of customers when designing new models. These are emerging on the market as requirements for range, safety and reliability, in addition to comfort needs. To meet environmental and user requirements at the same time, manufacturers have to make trade-offs, which are most evident in the weight of the vehicle. Unfortunately, based on the current state of the art, one of the most effective means of increasing traveling range is still to increase the number or size of batteries, which of course entails an increase in the weight of the vehicle. Increased unloaded weight means more kinetic energy and momentum during vehicle use, which clearly has a negative impact on the collision energy and the consequences of an accident. The present study therefore investigates the impact of the increasing presence of electric vehicles on public roads, using injury probability indicators for crash safety focusing for the head injury criteria.