What are the safest electric cars?
Whether you’re driving for business or leisure, vehicle safety is a common concern. When you take to the roads, you want peace of mind that adults and children are protected, including yourself and your passengers, other road users, and pedestrians.
Euro NCAP safety tests are a useful and trusted way to compare the top models of electric cars. The safety rating system publishes a report that includes only the latest electric cars to be put through their paces.
Ratings include:
- An overall 5-star score
- Percentage scores for:
- Adult Occupants
- Child Occupants
- Pedestrians
- Safety Assist
As of October 2022, nine of the top models of electric vehicles have been awarded the maximum 5-star overall rating. So which are the safest electric cars of 2022?
Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y scores the full five stars for its standard spec (i.e. no additional safety upgrades installed). It also tops the list for Adult Occupant safety with a near-perfect 97% and an even high 98% score for its Safety Assist features.
However, it falls short of perfection for children and pedestrians, scoring a second-place 82% for Pedestrian safety and sitting down in eighth place for the safety of child passengers riding in the Model Y.
Mercedes EQE
Overall second is the Mercedes EQE, which is only let down by its Safety Assist score. Besides that, it’s a close match for the Tesla, achieving 95% Adult Occupants, 91% Child Occupants, and 83% Pedestrians on Euro NCAP’s report.
At 81%, the EQE’s Safety Assist score is well down the list in sixth place, although features like Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC on the AMG Line Premium Plus and Exclusive Luxury model lines add to the safety of top-end trims.
Ora Funky Cat
Completing the podium places for 2022 (so far) is the ORA Funky Cat — the first UK model from China’s Great Wall Motor under their GWM ORA UK brand. Funky Cat First Edition is new for autumn 2022, with additional trims to launch next year.
Funky Cat has started strong, with a maximum 5-star rating. This includes a fifth-place 92% for Adult Occupants and a fourth-place 74% for Pedestrians. The Child Occupants rating is well down at 83%, placing the ORA in 11th behind several 4-star models, but Safety Assist features bring up the average, with an impressive 93% placing second behind the Tesla.
Volvo C40 Recharge
Volvo’s C40 Recharge scores reasonably well across the board, and is only let down by its pedestrian safety rating. Scores of 92% for adults, 89% for children, and 89% for Safety Assist are pretty competitive, but the Pedestrians rating of just 70% pulls the Volvo out of a potential podium place.
Cupra Born
The Cupra Born completes an impressive top five, again holding its own across the Euro NCAP categories. At 93%, its Adult Occupants rating has the edge over the Volvo and ORA models, and its 89% Child Occupants score ties in second place. But a Pedestrians score of 73% and Safety Assist of 80% pull down the average, while still placing the Cupra as one of the top five electric car models of 2022.
Kia EV6
The Kia EV6 is aptly named, as it ranks as the sixth-safest EV of 2022 according to Euro NCAP’s tests. Again, the risk to pedestrians, rather than occupants, pulls down the overall rating. Adults (90%) and Children (86%) are well protected, and a Safety Assist score of 87% helps the EV6 to an overall 5-star rating, despite its Pedestrians rating of 64% ranking 11th.
Genesis GV60
The Genesis GV60 is the highest-ranked vehicle to score less than 90% for Adult Occupants, narrowly missing out at 89%. A healthy 87% for Child Occupants helps, along with 88% for Safety Assist and a Kia-rivalling 63% Pedestrians score.
BYD Atto 3
BYD’s ATTO 3 is let down by its lack of Safety Assist features on the standard model. The ATTO 3 scores 91% for Adults, 89% for Children, and 69% for Pedestrians. A score of just 74% for Safety Assist features compares poorly with the cars around it in this list. Still, the ATTO 3 ranks a respectable ninth among 2022 electric car models, and was praised for its camera-based Intelligent Speed Limit Assist and Lane Keeping Assist systems.
Renault Megane E-Tech
Finally, Renault has bounced back from a disappointing zero-star safety rating awarded to the standard-spec Renault ZOE at the end of 2021. This year, the Renault Megane E-Tech takes the last of the current coveted 5-star rating spots as of October 2022.
Adults (85%), Pedestrians (65%) and Safety Assist (79%) ratings all put the E-Tech around the right rank, while an impressive Children (88%) score boosts it into the top five for drivers with young children in the car.
