Tesla Motors has gained a reputation for producing safe cars that may prevent major injuries from taking place in an auto accident, but they have started to focus on making the environment safer as well. The car company has been testing their HEPA filtration system, "Bioweapon Defense Mode," which is able to remove at least 99.97% of pollen, bacteria, and pollution from the outside air before they enter the vehicle.
In order to test the capability of the filtration system, Tesla pumped levels of pollution said to be 200 times higher than the world’s current highest levels in Beijing, China, into a bubble which held a Tesla Model X vehicle. It took all of two minutes for the system to completely neutralize the levels of pollution around the vehicle. Tesla told The Next Web that “you could literally survive a military-grade bio attack by sitting in your car.” In the graph below, published on Tesla's blog, you can see how the quality of air changed both inside and outside of the car, once the doors were closed and the Bioweapon Defense Mode was activated.
To be sure that its filtration system was up to the test, Tesla decided to take it into the real world. The Model X was taken through California freeways during rush hour, smelly marshes, landfills, and cow pastures in the central valley of California, according to Tesla’s website. Sure enough, it not only cleaned the air that was coming into the vehicle, but it was also cleaning the air around the vehicle.
As pollution becomes a larger issue for developed nations such as the United States, car companies will begin to put a heavier emphasis on air quality for the vehicles they produce. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution can now be considered “the world’s largest single environmental health risk,” as it now claims the lives of more than three million people every year, more than twice the number of deaths due to car accidents.
Tesla's Other Safety Benefits
Air quality is not the only safety feature that Tesla has become known for, as their technology pertaining to preventing and sustaining collisions has become a selling point. Tesla has boasted a 5-star safety rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a rating that approximately one percent of all cars tested by the federal government receive.
Brian Martel, a Texas resident, was driving a Tesla Signature Red Performance Model S when he was T-boned at an intersection by another driver. While there were some minor bumps and bruises, there were no substantial injuries. Martel said that “any other car would likely have rolled over and possibly caused severe injury to someone in my family.”
When choosing a new vehicle, it's important to ask about the safety features that are included. Keep in mind the environmental impact the car may have, as well as how it may hold up when involved in a collision. As Brain Martel can attest to, it can be the difference between life and death.
In a move to protect Michigan-based auto companies, Tesla vehicles are currently banned from being sold in the state, as a result of October 2014 law that was passed by the Michigan legislature.
Auto accidents take place everyday. If you or someone you know has been in an auto accident, including accidents involving electric cars, call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our attorneys are experienced with handling all types of motor vehicle accidents, and will get you the help you need. Call us today, at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation.