Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Volvo XC40 EVs get top Australian safety ratings

Two new popular players on the electric vehicle market have been given five gold stars by the national car safety body ANCAP.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Volvo XC40 Recharge have both made sweeping entrances onto the Australian car market, considering the relative lack of policy support at a federal level that has created uncertainty for car-makers.

The Ioniq 5, a wagon-style vehicle with features like vehicle-to-load and two-way charging – quickly sold out its first allocation within hours of going on sale earlier in October. Likewise, drivers exhausted the first allocation of Volvo XC40 Recharges secured by Volvo’s Australian arm making it one of the best-selling EVs in September.

The actual sales numbers of each vehicle are small (400 Ioniq 5s and 130 XC40 Recharges) in comparison to the combustion vehicle market, and also compared to market leader Tesla which has sold more than 8,000 Model 3s so far this year.

But we note that the only other carmakers (again, apart from Tesla) to sell more than 100 EVs a month in 2021 have been Porsche and MG, with vehicles at either end of the EV market. Both Hyundai and Volvo have said there is more inventory on the way.

And now buyers of either the Ioniq 5 or XC40 Recharge either in its EV or plug-in hybrid configuration will be assured of the highest level of safety.

ANCAP complimented the Ioniq 5 on high scores for full-frontal (which uses small female stature dummies), side-impact and oblique pole tests.

It also scored the lowest risk for impact on vehicles also involved in a crash that ANCAP says it has seen since it introduced the measure in 2020.

“The IONIQ 5’s good measure of safety performance coupled with its green drivetrain provides families and fleet buyers with a good all-round choice,” said ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg in a statement.

“We know safety and environmental performance are top-of-mind considerations for the majority of new car buyers today, and it’s pleasing to see Hyundai prioritise 5 star safety in this new market offering.”

The XC40 Recharge vehicles scored equally with their internal combustion engine equivalents that were awarded five stars in 2018 by the safety body, as well as on safety points unique to battery-powered vehicles. It scored especially well for occupant safety with a 97% rating, living up to its brand’s reputation for safety.

“To ensure safety is not compromised for consumers wanting to buy an alternative-powered vehicle, for battery and hybrid electric vehicles we conduct additional checks to make sure they don’t pose unique risks such as battery rupture or electrical hazards to the occupants or first responders,” Hoorweg said.

“This gives consumers peace-of-mind and assists fleet buyers in meeting their safety and environmental targets.”