The Car Talk guys are well intentioned but I'm not sure I'd
take their word on safety. On a purely subjective basis, I'd say I
*felt* quite safe in a friend's EV. Safer than in a Caravan or Astrovan,
for example.
	I don't have a reference but I DID see pictures once from a
test a Swedish car mag did of a Volvo wagon offset head-on into a Vanagon,
at high speed (75-100kmph). I think they thought they were going to 
show-case the Volvo's qualities and crush zones... instead, the Vangaon 
went OVER the Volvo's engine compartment and stove-in the windshield
and A pilar. Looked very fatal. The vanagon had no significant intrusions 
into the passenger space- it was not pretty but the doors opened and closed, 
and there would have been no serious injuries to it's passengers or driver 
if they'd been belted.
	VW's converstion of all vehicles to front-wheel-drive and
front engine location was in part driven by safety concerns- a vehicle
with the engine and a proper crush-zone in front is inherently safer
than the rear-engine design many of us drive. All the structure that
supports the engine and drive train provides strength.

	I DO find the problems and solutions on Car Talk interesting, 
and believe Tom and Ray M. have good things to say. However, at least 
half of any of their shows is about problems with cheap assembly
and poor design that don't seem to apply to the VW's I've owned. :)
	On the other hand, they're very good with listeners who are
being run-around by untrustworthy mechanics. And they are WAY funny some
times.

	Just my US$ 0.02.

	Bill