Small electric cars as safe as gasoline-powered counterparts: IIHS

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash-tested plug-in electric cars for the first time ever and found the extra weight of the battery packs of the small cars had a positive affect on their safety ratings.
The Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf are the first mainstream electric cars the IIHS has tested. Both received the institute’s highest safety rating.
Both models are classified as ‘small cars’ in dimension, but their hefty battery packs put their curb weights closer to midsize and larger cars.
For comparison’s sake, the Leaf weighs about 3,370 pounds and the Nissan Altima, a mid-size car, about 3,200. The Volt tips the scales at 3,760 pounds and the Chevrolet Impala, a large family car, weighs in at 3,580 pounds.
“For years the debate over fuel economy has been about making cars smaller and lighter, changes that could put people at greater risk of dying or being injured in crashes,” said an IIHS release.
“The Leaf and Volt’s extra mass gives them a safety advantage over other small cars,” said Joe Nolan, the IIHS’s chief administrative officer. “There electric models are a win-win for fuel economy and safety.”