Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf Perform Well in Crash Tests
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf passed safety testing with high ratings. Both rated at the highest scores for front end, rear end and side impact crashes. They also passed with top scores for protection in the case of a rollover crash.
The feature that keeps these electric cars well protected is their heavy battery packs. The extra weight helps keep the drivers and passengers safe. The Chevy Volt weighs in at 3,760 pounds and the Nissan Leaf is 3,370 pounds. Their weight is comparable to larger-size automobiles and their extra mass makes them harder to push around when there is a crash.
The Nissan Leaf uses battery power only and will travel approximately 100 miles on a charge. The Chevy Volt has a small gas engine in addition to electric power. It can travel around 40 miles on one electric charge. When the electric power is depleted, it runs on gas.
Joe Nolan, Chief Administrative Officer of the institute, remarked that the safety level of the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf matched that of other highly rated performers. The institute purchases its test cars directly from the dealers.It is true that the wheels are powered differently. However, according to Nolan, the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf perform as well as larger, gas-poweredautomobiles under crash test conditions.
The federal government has not released official results of crash tests.
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