The Nissan Leaf was the first electric car to receive a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
Euro NCAP awarded the Leaf five stars in 2012 after testing its crash protection and safety-assistance performance. The result was important because early electric cars raised questions about battery safety, high-voltage systems and how their structures would perform in collisions.
The Leaf was designed as a dedicated battery-electric hatchback, with its battery pack mounted low beneath the passenger compartment. That placement helped lower the center of gravity while keeping the main cabin structure separate from much of the battery enclosure.
A five-star result applies to the tested vehicle and assessment protocol at the relevant time; Euro NCAP regularly changes its tests, so ratings from different years are not perfectly comparable. The Leaf also received a five-star rating from Japan’s JNCAP program.