Electric vehicles Β· IIHS data updated 2026-09-04
Safest Electric Cars and SUVs of 2026
Electric vehicles are heavy, low, and structurally different from combustion cars, and the crash-test record reflects all three. This page ranks every current EV with a complete IIHS record and shows the ones still waiting on updated tests.
The safest electric vehicle in our current 2026 ranking is the 2027 Tesla Model Y, scoring 98.6/100 with an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award. It leads 21 electric vehicles with complete IIHS records; 4 more are still missing at least one test and are listed separately below.
All current electric vehicles ranked by safety
Where two vehicles score the same, the injury measures behind that score break the tie; vehicles matching on both share a rank. The score is 55% primary IIHS tests, 25% selected occupant-protection details, 10% pedestrian front crash prevention, and 10% class context. Missing evidence never counts as passing. Where two vehicles score the same, the last column breaks the tie: it averages every injury measure IIHS published inside the three crash tests. Vehicles matching on both share a rank.
| Rank | Vehicle | Class | IIHS award | Rear restraints | Score | Injury measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 2027 Tesla Model Y | Midsize luxury SUVs | TSP+ | 98.6 | 100.0 | |
| #2 | 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 | Midsize SUVs | TSP+ | 96.8 | 100.0 | |
| #2 | 2026 Kia EV9 | Midsize SUVs | TSP+ | 96.8 | 100.0 | |
| #4 | 2026 Volvo EX90 | Large luxury SUVs | TSP+ | 96.5 | 99.38 | |
| #5 | 2026 Tesla Cybertruck | Large pickups | TSP+ | 96.5 | 98.75 | |
| #6 | 2027 Audi Q6 e-tron | Midsize luxury SUVs | TSP+ | 96.1 | 99.38 | |
| #6 | 2027 Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron | Midsize luxury SUVs | TSP+ | 96.1 | 99.38 | |
| #8 | 2026 Ford Mustang Mach E | Midsize SUVs | TSP | 95.6 | 98.75 | |
| #9 | 2026 Rivian R1S | Large luxury SUVs | TSP+ | 94.0 | 99.38 | |
| #10 | 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 | Small SUVs | TSP+ | 93.1 | 97.5 | |
| #11 | 2027 Audi A6 Sportback e-tron | Large cars | TSP+ | 92.6 | 98.75 | |
| #12 | 2026 Tesla Model 3 | Midsize luxury cars | β | 91.7 | 96.25 | |
| #13 | 2026 Cadillac Lyriq | Midsize luxury SUVs | β | 90.0 | 97.5 | |
| #14 | 2026 Chevrolet Blazer EV | Midsize SUVs | β | 89.4 | 95.62 | |
| #15 | 2026 Honda Prologue | Midsize SUVs | β | 86.9 | 95.62 | |
| #16 | 2026 Nissan Leaf | Small cars | β | 85.6 | 97.5 | |
| #17 | 2026 Subaru Solterra | Small SUVs | β | 83.0 | 93.75 | |
| #18 | 2026 Rivian R1T | Large pickups | β | 79.7 | 96.25 | |
| #19 | 2026 Audi Q4 e-tron | Midsize luxury SUVs | β | 70.7 | 93.12 | |
| #19 | 2026 Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron | Midsize luxury SUVs | β | 70.7 | 93.12 | |
| #21 | 2026 Kia EV6 | Small SUVs | β | 69.3 | 93.75 | |
Rear restraints is the IIHS rear-passenger restraints and dummy-kinematics result from the updated moderate-overlap test; it is the single detail that most often separates otherwise similar vehicles.
4 current electric vehicles still waiting on complete IIHS results
These vehicles are listed so you can see what has been tested. A missing result is never treated as a pass or a fail, so they are not ranked.
| Vehicle | Primary tests reported | Detail results reported | IIHS award |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Ford F 150 Lightning | 2/4 | 2/4 | β |
| 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 6 | 3/4 | 4/4 | β |
| 2026 Volkswagen ID.4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 Volvo EC40 | 2/4 | 2/4 | β |
Safest at every price
Safest electric vehicles at every price
A vehicle appears here only if it is safer than every cheaper option, so each row is the best score available at that budget.
| Safest choice | Score | Starting around |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Nissan Leaf | 85.6 | ~$29,990 |
| 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 93.1 | ~$35,000 |
| 2026 Ford Mustang Mach E | 95.6 | ~$37,795 |
| 2027 Tesla Model Y | 98.6 | ~$39,990 |
What the class context means
EVs are spread across several IIHS classes, so their class-context terms differ. Battery mass tends to help occupants in multi-vehicle crashes; it does nothing for the rear-seat restraint results that decide the top of this list. Real-world death rates for most EV nameplates are not yet published because the fleets are too new.
Every vehicle on this page is scored with the same published formula as the main ranking. The full method, the exact weights, and the missing-evidence rules are on the methodology page.
Questions people ask
What is the safest electric car in 2026?
The 2027 Tesla Model Y leads our current ranking of electric vehicles with a score of 98.6/100 from published IIHS tests and a Top Safety Pick+ award. 21 electric vehicles have complete records; ties share a rank.
Are electric cars safer than gas cars in a crash?
In crash tests the best EVs match the best combustion vehicles, and their mass helps in two-vehicle crashes. Real-world outcomes are less settled: Tesla, the only EV brand with enough exposure for death-rate data, shows above-average brand-level rates despite excellent crash tests. See the Tesla safety page for the evidence.
Why is a well-known EV missing from the ranked list?
A model enters the ranked list only when IIHS has published every primary test and every selected occupant-protection detail for that model year. Several EVs have not been through the updated side or moderate-overlap tests and are shown as provisional.
Keep comparing
Other rankings by type: Small SUVs Β· Midsize SUVs Β· Large SUVs Β· Luxury SUVs Β· Sedans Β· Compact cars Β· Pickup trucks Β· Hybrids Β· Under $30,000 Β· Under $40,000 Β· Under $50,000 Β· Top Safety Pick winners Β· Teen drivers Β· Lowest-rated