The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is not too free with handing out high scores to new vehicles but Tesla’s Model S seemed to be one of those exceptions to the rule. The new vehicle went though the tests and came out with a combined score of 5.4 stars. That means it managed to achieve scores of 5 starts in pretty much all categories and sub categories without exception thus falling in one percentile range to which this score is awarded. This kind of makes the Model S the safest car there is, as in it can be considered the car with the lowest likelihood of injury to occupants. And we’re talking about possible injuries sustained from all angles including roll over scenarios. What makes this test so much more interesting is that although it’s a Sedan by design it also managed to surpass the safety scores of SUVs and minivans.
The Model S is a pretty sophisticated vehicle and determined to keep you safe at all costs. Other than not having bullet and bomb proof glasses, the Model S could pretty much withstand a major accident and you would probably emerge banged up but with no serious injuries. Thanks to the a center (B) pillar reinforcement attached via aerospace grade bolts one could stack about 4 Model S cars (fully loaded) on top of each other without the lower ones roof caving in. It in fact broke the testing machine for roof endurance. In case you opt for the third row children’s seat, the manufacturer adds a double bumper to protect this section from high impact collisions from the rear. During testing, it was reported that getting this car to roll over was a hard task thanks to the low center or gravity as the battery pack is mounted below the floor pan. This also helps with handling and overall safety. It even features deep aluminum extrusions in the side rail of the car to help absorb the impact energy on collision from the sides. Even the Lithium–ion battery was unaffected with no fire being caused on impact or otherwise.
So suffice it to say that the getting into this car could probably be the safest thing you did. Don’t expect this to come with an affordable price tag, but all things considered, can you really out a price on safety?
Take a look at the video below if you find that hard to believe.
[Via – Tesla-Motors]