Safety of a wooden car?

Question

I just read about a wooden sports car coming out soon this year or next. It is supposed to reach a top speed of 240 mph and have 20 to the gallon. I just want to know how safe this car would be in a crash. I can just imagine a wooden car break in two and be smashed to pieces basically. A wooden car would have no crumble zones. How safe would a wooden car be?

Answer 1

It wouldn't be like the car would be carved out of a single block of wood, any more than a modern car is cast out of a single block of steel.

Crumple zones could just as easily be designed into a car made of, just about ANY material.

It brings to mind some of the thoughtless criticisms of early fiberglass bodied cars.  Some popular opinions were that, in a collision, the body would shatter like a crystal punch bowl.  It just illustrated how rumors begin as a result of ignorance.

Besides, a LOT of the car would NOT be made of wood.

Answer 2

not safe.

Answer 3

It's not "coming out" in the sense of coming on the market.  It's an engineering student project.  

And yeah, it probably will not hold up well in a crash.  

I'll be amazed if they can make a wooden chassis that can handle the power they'll need to go that fast without being twisted apart.

Answer 4

Well, if the car's engine is wood, it will just burn up when the combustion cycle starts. Also, a wooden car might not support the what of the seats, engine, fuel tank and possibly even you. It would also particle be no resistance when you crash and the car will continue to go forward and the wooden front of the car will kill you. Regular cars have a safety feature so that when you crash, the front of the car will buckle so it absorbs the impact, but a wooden one probably won't.

Answer 5

At this point it is just an idea and most likely will never make it to production.

Answer 6

You just read about a wooden sports car, refer to that, and get the answer

Answer 7

You read about some one-off specially built car. You won't be able to buy it.