The Tesla S: Safest car according to NHTSA

If there are more and more cars that get the maximum notes in various crash tests around the world, Tesla boasts that its model S is credited with the record in this matter by the very NHTSA official.

The NHTSA does not communicate to the public the notes above 5 stars but these decimal places of stars (scoring system particular) do exist and are listed in the rating Vehicle Safety Score (VSS) communicated to the manufacturers. It does not take much to Tesla to highlight the record of the model S that establishes a 5.4 becoming “the safest on the road”.

This 5.4 star rating finally corresponds to a probability of injury in an accident estimated at 7%. The 5 star rating is for its part a probability of 10%. By design, the Tesla S has serious advantages. Its battery implanted in the floor makes it particularly hard (or impossible) to return without outside help, thank you the center of gravity.

Its engine power also gives it a much more effective frontal crash box in the absence of a bulky engine block. And Tesla also specifies that no fire is ever stated during the numerous crash tests. The recent case of the Boeing 787 with the questioning of the batteries is still present to require such precision.

But Tesla also has several “inspired the Apollo Lunar Module” (sic) to get the best score in side crash against a pole or even reinforcements in the rear to prevent shocks from the rear, often ignored by manufacturers secrets.

Tesla pushes it even further by stating that unlike other manufacturers, they do not specifically reinforce some point in the car to exactly match the configurations of the tests but even changing the position of the car at the front crash (and others) it always get 5 stars.

A Precision which fact necessarily cringe some competitors singled out recently by the IIHS. Tesla also did not deprive the mock explaining that some manufacturers have concentrated their efforts in engineering fields other than security. They will appreciate.

The Tesla S is currently sold at $69,000 in the USA.