Enhanced Side Pole Impact Protection: Crashworthiness Optimization for Electric Micro Commercial Vehicles

This study presents a novel optimization framework applying the multi-objective response surface method to enhance the safety of electric micro commercial vehicles (E-MCVs) during side pole impacts. By focusing on seven critical load-bearing components, including the B-pillar and door frame beam, we achieved a 2% reduction in component weight while significantly improving energy absorption by 22.2%. The optimization led to a substantial decrease in intrusion, with B-pillar abdominal intrusions reduced by 22.5% and lower threshold intrusions down by 26.3%. Despite these improvements, challenges remained regarding battery pack deformation. To address this, we proposed two innovative solutions: strengthening the side longitudinal beams and integrating a bionic thin-walled energy-absorbing structure. These approaches effectively reduced side intrusions of the battery pack by 43.5% to 43.8%, with the bionic structure showing superior performance in weight management. However, the manufacturing feasibility and cost implications of the bionic design necessitate further exploration. The innovation in this study lies in the dual application of a response surface optimization method for load-bearing components and the integration of biomimetic design principles, significantly advancing collision safety for E-MCVs while providing new insights into the weight-efficient safety design.