Would-be car buyers have, like voters, factors that drive decision-making. For some, it’s speed. Others prioritize massive, unwieldy proportions. However, for many, the deciding factor in car buying is safety. That’s why car buyers turn to agencies like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for in-depth safety evaluations. And despite boogeyman buzzwords like “thermal runaway,” 17 electric vehicles earned a Top Safety Pick (TSP) or TSP+ rating from the IIHS. 

The 17 battery electric vehicles with Top Safety Pick and TSP+ ratings range from midsize cars to large pickup trucks

You’ve likely heard horror stories of popular battery electric vehicles (BEVs) spontaneously combusting in Chinese parking garages. That, or watched Richard Hammond’s harrowing near-death experience behind the wheel of the immensely powerful Rimac Concept One. However, many EVs still managed to snag the coveted IIHS Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ ratings. Better yet, there’s seemingly a flavor for just about every buyer.

However, of the 17, only eight EVs secured the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating. According to the IIHS, a vehicle must earn a “good” or “acceptable” rating in the multiple crashworthiness tests, including the agency’s updated moderate overlap front test. However, the vehicle must earn a “good” rating in the small overlap front and updated side crash tests. 

Granted, “good” and “acceptable” might seem underwhelming. However, the two terms constitute the highest ratings in the crashworthiness, crash avoidance, crash mitigation, and child safety LATCH evaluations.