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20th Aug 2013

All-electric Tesla Model S is now the safest car ever tested in US

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over in the US, the Tesla Model S is the safest car that has ever been tested.

Oisin Collins

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over in the US, the Tesla Model S is the safest car that has ever been tested.

There are a lot of people out there who still aren’t convinced that electric cars are the way to go, but if this latest safety test is anything to go by, then we should all be driving the Model S.

Why? Well, apart from the fact that the all-electric car keeps the tree-huggers at bay, it has achieved a new record as the safest car the NHTSA over in the US has ever tested.

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Out of 5, the car scored an overall total of 5.4 on the safety scale, meaning it’s so safe it basically broke the safety scale (we’re sure there’s an ironic verse for Alanis Morissette in there somewhere). Here;s what Tesla had to say about the score: “NHTSA does not publish a star rating above 5, however safety levels better than 5 stars are captured in the overall Vehicle Safety Score (VSS) provided to manufacturers, where the Model S achieved a new combined record of 5.4 stars.”

In fairness, the safety aspect of the car is pretty impressive. From the Tesla website: “The Model S has the advantage in the front of not having a large gasoline engine block, thus creating a much longer crumple zone to absorb a high speed impact.

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“Of note, during validation of Model S roof crush protection at an independent commercial facility, the testing machine failed at just above 4 g’s.

“While the exact number is uncertain due to Model S breaking the testing machine, what this means is that at least four additional fully loaded Model S vehicles could be placed on top of an owner’s car without the roof caving in.”

You can read more about the Model S safety rating here.

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