What EVs Are Top Rated for Safety?
The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has ranked three new electric vehicles among the safest on the market. The agency, an independent, nonprofit organization focused on reducing deaths and injuries from motor vehicle crashes, has awarded the Genesis Electrified GV70, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and Lexus RZ its “Top Safety Pick+” award – the highest rating possible.
How Do New EVs Perform?
In order to qualify for the Top Safety Pick+ award, cars must earn “good” ratings in several different crash tests:
- Driver-side small-overlap front collision
- Passenger-side small-overlap front collision
- Original moderate overlap front collision
- Side impact collision
Furthermore, “acceptable” or “good” headlights, which contribute to active safety and help prevent accidents, must be standard across all trim levels. Top rated cars must have an active front crash prevention system to prevent pedestrian injuries that earns advanced or superior ratings during both daytime and nighttime evaluations.
Genesis Electrified GV70
The Genesis Electrified GV70 is a midsize luxury electric SUV. It earned advanced ratings in both daytime and nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention tests, as well as top marks in all collision tests. With a standard 77.4-kWh battery pack, the Electrified GV70 has an EPA-estimated range of 236 miles and a starting MSRP of $67,645.
Hyundai Ioniq 6
A sleek midsize “streamliner” EV sedan, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is built off Hyundai’s excellent E-GMP electric car platform and features an 800-volt electrical architecture, a choice of two- or all-wheel drive, a spacious interior, and an EPA-estimated range of up to 361 miles, depending on configuration. It has a starting MSRP of $43,000. It earned superior ratings in the daytime and nighttime pedestrian tests, as well as top crash test ratings.
Lexus RZ
The Lexus RZ is the luxury brand’s first all-electric SUV. Built off the same platform as the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra, it has an EPA-estimated range of up to 220 miles from its 71.4-kWh battery and standard all-wheel drive. With a starting MSRP of $58,500, it has a luxurious and spacious interior and efficient running.
Preventing Pedestrian Injuries
“It’s exciting to see three new EVs from different brands with the highest level of safety,” said IIHS president David Harkey. “Making sure safety continues to be a priority in alternatively powered vehicles is critical if we are going to achieve the vision of zero traffic fatalities.”
Harkey added: “To be environmentally friendly, our vehicles and our cities also need to be pedestrian-friendly. All three of these vehicles have standard front crash prevention systems designed to protect pedestrians both during the day and at night, when most fatal pedestrian crashes happen.”
What’s the difference between the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+ and its lower-tier Top Safety Pick ratings? To earn the lower designation, an “acceptable” rating in the side impact test is enough, and tested vehicles only need to demonstrate advanced or superior performance in the daytime pedestrian test – not the nighttime test. These three new EVs, introduced in 2023, all meet the requirements for the higher-tier award.
