Since driver safety is always an utmost concern, even supercars have to undergo crash tests with no room for failure. But crash tests can be costly, especially if the car being tested is worth a million dollars. Just imagine the cost that Rimac Automobili had to bear when it crash tested not one, but two C_Two hypercars.

Expensive Crash Tests

A Rimac C_Two prototype may not worth as much as a production hypercar – priced at $2.1 million – but it's still expensive. The C_Two is currently undergoing a rigorous testing program, which includes crash tests. As of September, Rimac has built 16 prototypes at its factory, all meant to validate everything that has been designed and engineered.

Rimac's crash testing program for the C_Two commenced in 2019. Initial focus was on material and component level. The Croatian automaker completed an initial series of physical crash tests – using a completely built prototype – last year. The program is meant to validate that the amount of energy absorbed by the crash structure is maximized.

Deformable Barrier Crash Test

Rimac C_Two Deformable Barrier Crash Test
Via Rimac Automobili on YouTube

Two 40% frontal offset deformable barrier crash tests were scheduled, so a pair of prototypes were prepared. A prototype was driven at certain speeds with 40% overlap into a deformable barrier (represents an oncoming vehicle). These tests replicated a crash between two hypercars of the same weight, at speeds of 40 km/h (24.8 mph) and 56 km/h (34.8 mph).

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This full-vehicle physical testing was meant to finalize the behavior of the C_Two's carbon composite during an impact. It also confirmed the virtual modeling of the hypercar. But the tests aren't over; Rimac says a total of 11 C_Two prototypes are bound to be destroyed.

A Safe Hypercar

Rimac C_Two crash test impacy dummy
Via Rimac Automobili on YouTube

The crash testing proved that the C_Two prototype is extremely safe. Rimac found no damage to the monocoque; there were no or very little deformation to the cabin. Likewise, there was no intrusion of the pedals and there were no excessive forces exerted onto the driver and passenger (represented by crash dummies).

Source: Rimac Automobili

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