DETROIT — The Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf got top safety ratings in some of the first tests of electric cars by insurer-funded researchers.
Both earned top scores for front, side, and rear impact crashes and for rollover crash protection in tests for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Leaf and Volt are classified as small cars, but the institute said their heavy battery packs put their weights closer to large sedans’ weights.
The Volt, at 3,760 pounds, is close to the weight of the Chevrolet Impala. The Leaf weighs 3,370 pounds, similar to a Nissan Altima. That extra mass helps protect occupants.
