Audi E-Tron Becomes First Electric Vehicle to Earn Top IIHS Safety Award
The 2019 Audi e-tron makes history as the first all-electric vehicle to secure a top safety pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. This milestone gives a crucial boost to Audi's first mass-produced electric SUV after a rocky start that included a battery fire recall.
The 2019 Audi e-tron makes history as the first all-electric vehicle to earn a top safety pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. This achievement eludes other electric models like the Tesla Model S and the Chevrolet Bolt. To qualify for this prestigious rating, a vehicle must earn good ratings in six crashworthiness evaluations, along with an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention and a good headlight rating.
The Audi e-tron meets all of these strict criteria with its standard equipment. It earns good ratings across all crashworthiness tests, including driver-side and passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests. Additionally, the SUV's standard front crash prevention system earns a superior rating by completely avoiding a collision at 25 mph and significantly reducing speed during a 12 mph test.
This award provides a much-needed boost to the e-tron, which carries significant weight as Audi's first mass-produced electric vehicle. The SUV has a comfortable and familiar ride but experiences a rocky start that includes a voluntary recall in the U.S. due to a battery fire risk. Meanwhile, competitors like Tesla are still pursuing the top designation, with IIHS currently testing the Tesla Model 3 after the Model S previously fell short due to poor headlights.