Australia’s leading car crash safety organization has given among its highest safety ratings to the Tesla Model 3 luxury executive sedan, which is also the top-selling electric vehicle (EV) produced by Tesla Inc.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), a car safety performance assessment program for Australia and New Zealand, said the Model 3 scored a perfect 5-Star ANCAP safety rating for its excellent performance in the areas of occupant protection and active collision avoidance.

The Model 3 was awarded a score of 96 percent by ANCAP for Adult Occupant Protection. It received full points for the driver in three of four destructive crash tests.

Full points were also scored by the front passenger in the frontal offset test that simulates a head-on crash. Maximum points were scored for child occupants in the side impact test.

Equally laudable was the Model 3’s 94 percent score for Safety Assist -- the highest Safety Assist score achieved against current protocols.

Video of the punishing ANCAP safety tests posted on Twitter show Model 3s subjected to different kinds of violent impacts from all angles.

“This is an impressive result and great to see electric vehicles continuing to prioritize safety” said ANCAP CEO James Goodwin.

“It is encouraging to see Tesla give equal attention to the active safety systems and technologies on board as well as the safety fundamentals through the structure and restraints.”

Founded in 1993, ANCAP provides consumers with transparent advice and information on the level of occupant and pedestrian protection provided by different vehicle models in the most common types of crashes. It also provides information on the ability of vehicles to avoid crashes using various technologies.

Photo: ANCAP