Tesla Model S, BMW i3 EVs Fall Short in IIHS Crash Tests

Two all-electric sedans—the Tesla Model S and BMW i3—have failed to earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s “Top Safety Pick” rating.

To win, cars must garner “good” ratings in five crashworthiness tests and provide an automatic braking system that earns an “advanced” or “superior” rating. Cars are awarded an additional “+” if they have “good” or “acceptable” headlights.

The Tesla Model S received a “good” rating in four crashworthiness tests. But its performance was only “acceptable” in IIHS’s demanding small overlap impact, in which the driver’s corner of the front bumper must absorb the entire force of a crash.

IIHS adds that the Model S’s headlights were “poor.” It notes that Tesla has not yet activated automatic braking in all vehicles represented by the test car (vehicles built after October 2016). And it reports that one version of the car, the high-performance P100D, earned a lower "acceptable" rating for roof strength because the car carries a heavier battery than other versions with the identical roof structure.

BMW’s i3 electric city car earned “good” ratings in four crashworthiness evaluations, offers an optional “advanced” front crash prevention system and has “acceptable” headlights. But the car’s head restraints and seats fell short of the institute’s “good” rating for neck protection when the vehicle is struck from behind.

IIHS awarded its ultimate Top Safety Pick + designation to two plug-in hybrids. The Chevrolet Volt swept the tests with “good” ratings for its headlights and all five crash tests, plus a “superior” rating for front-crash protection.

The Toyota Prius Prime plug-in also earned a “good” rating in the five crash tests and a “superior” rating for its automatic braking system. The car’s headlights were given an “acceptable” rating.