Nissan Leaf gets five safety stars 25 | 05 | 2011

NISSAN'S ELECTRIC LEAF has received Euro NCAP's top five star rating; the award is a first for a mass-produced EV. The Leaf received an 89% rating for adult safety, 83% for child protection and 84% for its on-board safety assist systems — including Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and speed limiter — In the safety rating’s breakdown, the Leaf

Thanks to its low nose design and comparative lack of ‘hard points’ under the bonnet, the Leaf — which is available in Scotland only from Alex F Noble's Nissan dealership in Edinburgh — also scored a 65% rating for pedestrian safety.

And according to Nissan, the car's 48 lithium-ion battery batteries, which are stored in a special compartment under the rear seats, “completely withstood all the impacts."

“The Nissan Leaf proves that EVs can achieve the same safety levels as traditional cars," Euro NCAP Secretary General Michiel van Ratingen said. "The standard is now set for the next generation of such cars on the European market.”

The all-new Ford Focus was also awarded a five star Euro NCAP rating. A Euro NCAP representatives said the new Focus delivered a “noteworthy performance of 72% on pedestrian protection,” .

Other cars to receive five starts included the Volvo V60 — with a 100% score for its Safety Assist – as were the Citroen DS4, Peugeot 508 and Lexus CT200h.

CLICK HERE to see our video of the Nissan Leaf crash test

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Jim McGill