How Safe Are Chinese EVs? Euro NCAP in Plain Words

How Euro NCAP works — in plain words

Euro NCAP is an independent European body that crashes new cars in controlled tests and gives a rating from 1 to 5 stars. It isn't tied to any maker and tests everything sold in Europe, regardless of where it's built — against the same standard. That's exactly why the stars are useful: they let you compare any brand's car on one scale.

Behind a single overall star total sit four sub-scores. The first is adult occupant protection — how well the car protects the driver and front passenger in a crash. The second is child occupant protection — how safe child seats are and how the car cares for small passengers. The third is vulnerable road users — how the car protects pedestrians and cyclists it might hit. The fourth is safety assist — automatic braking, lane keeping and other tools that help avoid a crash in the first place.

Five stars means the car reached the top result across all four areas. One key detail: Euro NCAP tests individual models, not a whole brand, and the standards get stricter over time. So it's always worth checking the specific model and year — and that applies to Chinese and Western cars alike.

Chinese EVs at Euro NCAP: the same 5 stars

The core fact is simple: the leading new Chinese EVs earn the same 5 stars at Euro NCAP that familiar Western cars do. That's not a marketing claim from a salesperson — it's the result of an independent European body that anyone can verify on the Euro NCAP website.

Why shouldn't that be a surprise? Because these cars are built to be sold in Europe and must meet the same rules. Many components — airbags, brake systems, sensors — come from the same global suppliers that serve European makers. "Chinese safety" and "European safety" at this level often rest on the same technology base.

This doesn't mean every Chinese car is automatically 5 stars — just as not every European car is. It means the best models have proven the top level by the same independent yardstick. The one correct way to confirm it for a specific car is to look up that exact model and year in the Euro NCAP database.

Active safety: Huawei ADS and LiDAR

Safety isn't only about what happens in a crash — even better is avoiding one altogether. That's called active safety, and here some Chinese models are at the front of the technology.

The AITO M5 (€50,226) — an electric SUV — uses the Huawei ADS system together with LiDAR. LiDAR is a laser sensor that "sees" distance to objects in three dimensions, even in poor light or at night where ordinary cameras struggle. In practice that gives very precise automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane keeping.

The AVATR 06 (€45,330) — an electric sedan — also uses Huawei ADS. For comparison: Volvo, a brand many treat as the safety benchmark, built much of its reputation precisely on this kind of active-safety system. These Chinese models are playing on the same field. An important honesty note: these are assist systems, not autonomous driving — the driver must still watch the road and keep hands on the wheel.

Battery safety is part of car safety

For many buyers the biggest fear isn't the crash but the battery: "will it catch fire?" Here the chemistry works in your favour. These cars use CATL-made batteries, often LFP (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry — the same type Tesla chooses for its standard models.

LFP runs cooler and is far more resistant to thermal runaway — the chain reaction that causes a fire — than the older NMC chemistry seen in scary news videos. That is exactly why fire brigades worry about it less. And for context: statistically EVs catch fire less often than petrol cars, not more.

Battery safety isn't a separate topic from crash safety — it's part of it. For the full detail on why LFP is the harder-to-ignite chemistry, read the dedicated article on LFP battery safety.

Is an LFP battery safe? Fire, cold, longevity

Body and high-voltage safety (800V)

A modern EV is built around its battery, and that actually helps safety. The heavy battery sits low in the floor, which lowers the centre of gravity and makes the car more stable — less prone to rolling in a sharp manoeuvre.

The high-voltage system has its own safety design. The Xiaomi SU7 Max (€39,100) and AVATR 06 (€45,330) use an 800V architecture that includes protection against high-voltage hazards and automatic disconnection of the electrical system in a crash. That means after an impact the car itself cuts the high-voltage flow to protect occupants and rescuers.

Combined with a stiff body structure that absorbs impact energy, these elements are exactly what Euro NCAP measures in its tests — and exactly why the best models reach the top rating.

What 5 stars does and does not promise (honestly)

Let's be honest about the limits, because that matters more than any ad line. Five stars means the car showed the top level of protection in controlled tests. It does not mean you will never be hurt — speed, your seatbelt and the other car still matter.

The stars also apply to the specific model and year tested. An older model year may have been rated by softer standards, because Euro NCAP gets stricter over time — 5 stars in 2024 is harder to earn than in 2018. And the test checks the standard equipment, so it's worth making sure the specific trim has the same safety systems.

In short: Euro NCAP is a strong, independent comparison tool, not a promise of being indestructible. That's exactly why it's so useful — it gives you an honest, shared yardstick to put Chinese and Western cars side by side.

Each safety point set beside a familiar Western 5-star car

Here the safety points sit beside familiar Western cars that are also 5-star Euro NCAP, so the scale is clear:

The point isn't to say one beats the other — it's to show they sit at the same safety level by the same independent yardstick. The buyer compares for themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions