Car Safety Assessments by IIHS Uncover Mixed Outcomes for Electric Vehicles' Crash Resistance
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has recently conducted a series of crash tests on five electric vehicles, including the BMW i4, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Tesla Cybertruck, Volkswagen ID.Buzz, and Tesla Model 3.
In the moderate overlap front test, which simulates an offset crash between two vehicles travelling in opposite directions, the Tesla Model 3 earned an acceptable rating. The BMW i4, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Tesla Cybertruck, and Volkswagen ID.Buzz, on the other hand, received good ratings in this test. However, the Ford F-150 Lightning received a poor rating, while the Nissan Ariya earned a marginal rating.
Unfortunately, no electric vehicles that were tested qualified for TOP SAFETY PICK awards. This is partly due to the lack of good ratings for headlight performance. In fact, the Cybertruck comes only with poor-rated headlights, while no vehicles in the group earned good ratings in this category.
The rear passengers of some vehicles faced elevated chest injury risk due to high belt forces. This was the case with the Tesla Model 3. The Ford F-150 Lightning's rear dummy showed high risk of chest, head, and neck injuries. The Ariya's restraints controlled rear dummy motion well during the crash, but injury measurements indicated high chest injury risk.
The vehicles' pedestrian crash prevention systems also received mixed results. The i4, F-150 Lightning, Cybertruck, and Model 3 earned good ratings, while the Blazer EV and Ariya had previously earned acceptable and good ratings, respectively. The Cybertruck's good pedestrian crash prevention rating applies only to models built after April 2025. The ID.Buzz received an acceptable rating for pedestrian crash prevention.
It's worth noting that since April 2025, a company offering electric commercial vehicles, including transporters and potentially electric pickup trucks, has the opportunity to modify their vehicles for better results in IIHS safety tests, as indicated by new models and developments in that period.
These results serve as a reminder for manufacturers to prioritise safety in the design and production of electric vehicles. As the number of electric vehicles on the road continues to grow, it's crucial that they are equipped with the necessary safety features to protect both drivers and pedestrians.
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