Last summer, a friend called me from the Volvo dealership car park in Zaventem. He'd just watched a demonstration of the EX90's automatic emergency braking — the car stopped on its own in front of a child dummy at 40 km/h. His two daughters were in the test car. His question was simple: "Do all electric cars do that?" The short answer: no. But in 2025, for the first time ever, electric cars won every single Euro NCAP Best in Class category. Every single one.
When it comes to safety, electric cars have a structural advantage over combustion vehicles. The question is which ones exploit that advantage to the full.
Why are EVs structurally safer than petrol and diesel cars?
Electric cars benefit from three physical advantages that ICE vehicles cannot replicate. The first: no combustion engine at the front. That compact mass which, in a frontal crash, pushes back towards the cabin in a petrol car, simply doesn't exist in an EV. The front crumple zone is longer, more progressive, better engineered.
The second advantage: the battery in the floor. This 400 to 800 kg block lowers the centre of gravity by 15 to 20 cm compared with an equivalent ICE SUV. Direct result: rollover risk drops significantly. On country roads in the Ardennes, where a sudden swerve can be fatal, that's a real factor.
The third: no fuel tank. EV fires make headlines because they're spectacular, but the figures tell a different story. According to AutoInsuranceEZ (2023), ICE vehicles catch fire 60 times more often than EVs. And according to the IIHS, injury claims for EV occupants are more than 40% lower than for comparable ICE models.
Which EVs are the safest according to Euro NCAP?
Euro NCAP evaluates four criteria: adult protection, child protection, vulnerable road user protection (pedestrians, cyclists) and safety assist systems. Here's the ranking of the highest-rated 5-star EVs available in Belgium, based on the most recent tests.
| Model | Adult | Child | Pedestrians | ADAS | Price from (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes CLA electric | 94% | 89% | 93% | 85% | 49,990 |
| Skoda Enyaq | 94% | 89% | 71% | 82% | 36,900 |
| VW ID.4 | 93% | 89% | 76% | 85% | 41,990 |
| Volvo EX90 | 92% | 93% | 82% | 86% | 83,990 |
| Tesla Model Y (Juniper) | 91% | 93% | 86% | 92% | 44,990 |
| Tesla Model 3 (Highland) | 90% | 93% | 89% | 87% | 39,990 |
| Kia EV6 | 90% | 86% | 64% | 87% | 44,990 |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 88% | 86% | 63% | 88% | 41,990 |
| Renault Scenic E-Tech | 88% | 89% | 77% | 85% | 41,300 |
| Volvo EX30 | 88% | 85% | 79% | 80% | 34,495 |
Note: the Peugeot e-5008 only achieved 4 stars (82% adult, 62% ADAS). Its safety assist score lags well behind the competition.
For safety-to-price ratio, the Skoda Enyaq at €36,900 with 94% adult protection and 89% child is the most rational choice on the Belgian market.
How does Euro NCAP assess child protection in an EV?
The Euro NCAP "child" score measures protection of 6 and 10-year-old children (Q6 and Q10 dummies) in frontal and side impacts, compatibility with aftermarket child seats, and specific features: rear seatbelt reminders, passenger airbag deactivation, ISOFIX anchors, and since 2025, child presence detection (CPD).
Three EVs reach the historic score of 93% child protection in 2025: the Tesla Model Y Juniper, the Volvo EX90 and the Polestar 3. The latter holds the absolute child protection record of the past nine years according to Euro NCAP. A 93% score means the forces measured on child dummies remain well below injury thresholds in all tested scenarios.
In practice, with two car seats installed in the rear, bench width matters as much as the crash test score. The Scenic E-Tech and Enyaq provide enough space for two Cybex or Maxi-Cosi seats side by side without squeezing the centre seat. The Volvo EX30, despite its 5 stars, is tighter at the back — two seats fit, but with no margin.
Which ADAS systems actually matter on Belgian roads?
Since July 2024, all new EVs sold in the EU come with mandatory automatic emergency braking (AEB), intelligent speed assistance (ISA), drowsiness alert, emergency lane keeping, and an event data recorder. From July 2026, camera-based distraction monitoring and enhanced AEB for pedestrians and cyclists at higher speeds will be added.
Emergency braking with child and cyclist detection is the most useful in Belgian urban areas. Brussels has 650 km of cycle lanes — car-bicycle interactions are a daily occurrence. The Tesla Model Y and Volvo EX90 show the highest intervention rates measured by Euro NCAP in these scenarios.
Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go transforms traffic jams on the E40 and the Brussels ring. The vehicle accelerates, brakes and restarts on its own in congestion. Tesla Autopilot, Hyundai HDA2 and Volvo Pilot Assist handle this scenario without driver fatigue.
Child presence detection (CPD) alerts if a child is left in the vehicle. Since January 2025, only 60 GHz radar-based systems qualify for Euro NCAP points — indirect methods (door sensors) no longer count. Tesla, Volvo EX90, Kia EV9 and Polestar 3 already include it as standard with smartphone app alerts.
How do Chinese EVs compare on safety?
Chinese brands sold in Belgium now systematically undergo Euro NCAP crash testing. The BYD Atto 3 achieved 5 stars with 91% adult protection (2023). The BYD Seal scored 5 stars with 89% adult. The Zeekr X was even crowned Best in Class Small SUV 2024 with 91% adult and 90% child.
Passive safety on Chinese EVs now matches European manufacturers. However, gaps widen on ADAS: the BYD Atto 3 reaches 69% in safety assist versus 92% for the Tesla Model Y. Emergency braking works, but fine-grained cyclist and pedestrian detection still lags on some Chinese models.
For a Belgian family, a 5-star BYD Seal U offers solid passive protection. But if advanced ADAS matters — and on Belgian roads with high cyclist density, it should — European, Korean and Tesla manufacturers maintain a measurable lead.
Which is the safest EV for your profile?
The choice depends on your budget and usage. For a family with two children and a controlled budget, the Skoda Enyaq (89% child, 94% adult, from €36,900) is the most rational compromise. The Renault Scenic E-Tech offers a similar profile with lower consumption.
For those wanting maximum safety without compromise, the Volvo EX90 with its 93% child protection, standard lidar and child presence detection is the benchmark — at €83,990, it's an investment. The Tesla Model Y Juniper (93% child, 92% ADAS, €44,990) offers an exceptional safety-to-price ratio.
My pragmatic pick for Belgian trips with kids: the Tesla Model Y Juniper. Its 93% child protection, one of the best emergency braking systems tested, 92% ADAS score, and the Supercharger network everywhere in Belgium. When you drive with children, reduced stress is worth more than a few percentage points on a sub-criterion.