POWERSHIFT: Five-Star Safety Across the Energy Spectrum
8th September 2021
Five new cars, representing a wide range of propulsion types, have been tested in the latest round of Euro NCAP safety tests. The first European offerings of two Chinese brands – Lynk & Co’s 01 hybrid and NIO’s battery electric, the ES8 – achieve the maximum five-star rating. The Audi Q4 e-tron, also a pure electric vehicle, also gets a top star rating. The Toyota Mirai, one of only a few cars powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, follows suit with the maximum five stars, as does the new Subaru Outback, the only conventionally powered car in this release. In addition to these five cars, Ford’s Kuga PHEV variant shares the combustion-engined versions’ 2019 five-star rating.
The Lynk & Co is a brand that is new to Europe and the 01 takes advantage of its Geely family connection to share its underpinnings with the Volvo XC40. The results are impressive. The hybrid/plug-in hybrid small SUV performs well all-round but its 96 percent score for adult occupant protection, including a maximum score for side impact, stands out. That, and a full set of active safety features, help it secure its five-star rating.
Euro NCAP’s Secretary General, Michiel van Ratingen, said,
The all-new but conventionally powered Subaru Outback shines most brightly in the area of active safety with an outstanding score of 95 percent for Safety Assist. Like the NIO, the car is equipped with a system which detects signs of fatigue or impairment directly from the driver’s eye movements and combines this with steering behaviour to issue a warning when a break is needed. The Subaru and the NIO are amongst the first production cars to feature this innovative technology, which is expected to become more mainstream in the coming years.
Michiel van Ratingen,
Editor’s note
Journalists can find the full results on Euro NCAP's newsroom.
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About Euro NCAP
Euro NCAP organizes crash & safety tests on new vehicles and provides motoring consumers with a realistic and independent assessment of the safety performance of some of the most popular cars sold in Europe. Established in 1997 and backed by several European Governments, motoring, consumer and insurance organizations, Euro NCAP has rapidly become a catalyst for encouraging significant safety improvements to new car design. Visit our website: www.euroncap.com
Euro NCAP ratings strictly apply to vehicles of the specifications offered in Europe. The ratings do not necessarily apply to models offered in other regions, even when sold under an identical name, as production specification and equipment may vary.