The body panels of the present invention are designed to crumple in a predisposed manner upon impact. The body panels are preferably made from a polymeric material. Further, the body panels can include a sheet of colored material attached to the polymeric material so that no painting of the panel is necessary. Preferably, the colored material is on an exterior surface of the panel. The colored material could be made from a thermoplastic with molded in color. The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a polymeric material reinforced with spaced reinforcing fibers. An alternative embodiment of the body panel includes a sheet of polymeric material that is reinforced with spaced mechanical ribs that are preferably molded into the sheet of material. Another alternative embodiment of the body panel includes alternating sections of high density polymeric foam and low density polymeric foam. Yet another alternative embodiment of the body panel includes a sheet of foam material, preferably polymeric, that is reinforced with spaced metal inserts. The metal inserts are preferably notched to yield in a predetermined manner.
The invention relates to an end wall module for a transport vehicle. The inventive end wall module having a first wall and the second wall arranged at a distance therefrom. The first wall is embodied in the form of a first corrugated structure and the second wall is embodied in the form of a second corrugated structure. Said corrugated structures are embodied in such a way that they are distanced from each other when the end wall module is mounted without being deformed and are engaged into each other by the shape thereof when the end wall module is at least in the first deformation stage.
