Electric Vehicle Council’s Aman Gaur says ANCAP’s 2025 rankings prove Australians don’t have to choose between sustainability and safety, with six EVs claiming top spots.
What’s happening: Electric vehicles have taken six of the top seven positions in ANCAP’s 2025 passenger vehicle safety ratings. The rankings demonstrate that EVs are setting new benchmarks for safety across multiple vehicle segments in Australia and New Zealand, with only one traditional powertrain vehicle appearing in the top seven.
Why this matters: With EVs now dominating safety performance, Australian families and businesses have access to vehicles that deliver both superior protection and zero tailpipe emissions, potentially accelerating the transition to cleaner transport.
Electric vehicles have claimed six of the top seven spots in ANCAP’s 2025 passenger vehicle safety rankings, confirming that the safest cars on Australian and New Zealand roads are increasingly electric.
Six electric models secured top positions in ANCAP’s latest safety assessment, including the Volvo EX90, MG IM 5, MG S5 EV and Mini Cooper E. Only the Toyota Hilux represented traditional powertrains among the top performers.
The dominance of electric vehicles across ANCAP’s testing pillars demonstrates how EV design is translating into measurable safety advantages. The top performers scored consistently well across adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection and safety assist technologies.
Aman Gaur, Acting CEO of the Electric Vehicle Council, said the ANCAP results send a clear signal to Australian car buyers.
“The case for electric vehicles just keeps getting stronger,” Mr Gaur said. “These results prove that Australians don’t have to choose between going green and staying safe on our roads.”
The rankings arrive as Australia’s electric vehicle market continues its rapid expansion, with more affordable models entering the market and government incentives helping to drive adoption.
Design drives safety
Mr Gaur said electric vehicles are already delivering outstanding protection for drivers, passengers and other road users. He pointed to several design features that leading car makers, including Volvo, Polestar and BYD, agree are making driving safer for everyone.
Floor-mounted batteries provide a lower centre of gravity and better stability. Rigid battery platforms are built as a safety cell. The absence of an engine or fuel tank means nothing can intrude into the passenger compartment during a crash.
“As more advanced safety technologies become standard and more EV models enter the market, Australians can expect EV safety performance to continue improving year after year,” he said.
System over checklist
ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg emphasised that the results highlight a broader industry shift toward integrated safety design.
“ANCAP’s testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist,” Ms Hoorweg said.
“The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area.”
She noted that improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection on Australian and New Zealand roads.
Multiple segments covered
Mr Gaur said the range of high-performing vehicles assessed by ANCAP in 2025 demonstrates that top-tier safety is now achievable across multiple segments. This gives families, fleets and businesses greater confidence when choosing an electric vehicle.
The dominance of electric vehicles in these rankings reflects their advanced design and technology. With six of the seven top performers being EVs, the results underscore how electric vehicle adoption in Australia is being driven not just by environmental concerns but by measurable safety advantages.
ANCAP’s assessment is based on four pillars: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist. Top performer results are calculated by taking a weighted sum of a vehicle’s scores across these four areas, with Adult Occupant Protection accounting for 40 per cent of the overall weighting.
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