Chevrolet Volt Earns Top Safety Rating from NHTSA [videos]

Electric Car News | admin | June 4, 2011 at 3:48 am

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has awarded the Chevrolet Volt with its five-star safety rating in the new, more stringent safety ratings system for the 2011 model year.

Under the NHTSA’s new rating system, all vehicles are given a single rating of one to five stars encompassing front and side impact safety as well as resistance to rollovers.

The Chevrolet Volt is the first electric vehicle to do so. NHTSA hasn’t yet tested the Nissan LEAF.

The Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan LEAF electric car were both recently given Top Safety Pick Awards by the privately funded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The Chevrolet Volt earned four stars for occupant protection in front-end crashes, five stars for side crash protection and five stars for resistance to rolling over.

Safety features on the Volt include: GM’s StabiliTrak electronic stability control system; front-, side- , knee- air bags as well as roof-mounted head-curtain air bags; optional rearview camera system featuring a display integrated into the navigation system screen; and five-year subscription to OnStar’s Directions and Connections Plan including Automatic Crash Response, stolen vehicle assistance and connected navigation.

Volt 20MPH Side Pole Impact