Less than a year after its European market debut, the Nio EL6 has been tested by Euro NCAP and awarded a five-star safety rating. This accolade places the Chinese brand’s crossover alongside its siblings, the ES8, ET7, ET5, and EL7, all of which have also achieved the prestigious five-star rating in Europe.
The EL6 comes equipped with a range of standard safety features, including a camera, radar, lidar, and an autonomous emergency braking system that Euro NCAP lauds for its exceptional performance. In adult occupant crash tests, the electric SUV scored 37.5 points or 93%, while in child occupant tests, it achieved 42 points or 85%.
Euro NCAP’s extensive testing also focused on evaluating the EL6’s safety performance concerning vulnerable road users such as cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. The EL6’s AEB system received ‘Good’ ratings in scenarios involving an adult crossing the road and a car reversing towards an adult or child. It received an ‘Adequate’ rating for its response to a child running from behind a parked vehicle.
In the same round of testing, Euro NCAP also assessed the Toyota C-HR and Honda CR-V 2.0 Hybrid. The latest version of the C-HR secured a five-star rating, with testers particularly impressed by its AEB system, which earned top marks in nearly every test. Although the standard CR-V 2.0 Hybrid initially received a four-star safety rating, this rating increases to five stars when equipped with the optional Honda Sensing 360 package, which includes corner radars and significantly enhances AEB performance.
Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General, expressed satisfaction with the safety performance of these vehicles, stating, “It comes as no surprise that these three sophisticated cars are hitting the mark, albeit with an optional safety pack in the case of the CR-V. It is rewarding to see advanced sensing solutions such as lidar being deployed to provide ever-better crash avoidance; however, greater focus still needs to go on the safety of other road users. Unfortunately, crashes cannot always be avoided, and high crashworthiness remains a critical backbone.”
