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Electric
The safest affordable electric cars in Australia for 2026
RACV
April 17, 2026
Are you looking for a cheap, and safe, new EV? RACV can reveal the safest electric cars and SUVs on sale in Australia under $50,000 drive-away, and the safest from $50,000 to $65,000 drive-away, based on ANCAP testing.
Interest in electric vehicles is at an all-time high in Australia, with more people than ever considering an EV for the first time. Much attention is focused on the cheapest electric cars available as new Chinese brands enter the market, but are the most affordable EVs the safest?
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has provided RACV with a full list of EVs it has tested over the past three years with weighted results that place a high emphasis on physical crash protection across its four key pillars of assessment – Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection and ‘Safety Assist’ (advanced driver assistance systems).
We have categorised these as EVs priced below $50,000, covering the cheapest electric passenger cars and SUVs available in new car showrooms, as well as EVs priced from $50,000 to $65,000 to rate many of the most popular models, led by the top-selling Tesla Model Y.
These are the safest affordable EVs, based on ANCAP testing, available in Australia, ranked according to their performance to separate the best from the best. It covers new brands like BYD, Deepal, GAC, Geely, Leapmotor, Xpeng and Zeekr, as well as longer-serving brands such as Toyota, Tesla, MG, Hyundai and Kia.
Top 10 safest EVs in Australia priced below $50,000
Here are the Top 10 safest EVs in Australia that start below $50,000 (current national or Victorian private buyer drive-away prices). All have achieved a maximum five-star safety rating under ANCAP’s 2023-2025 testing regime, results for which are still rolling out in 2026 until the first cars come online later this year based on the new 2026-2028 protocols.
1. Leapmotor B10 small SUV – from $45,714 drive-away
2. Zeekr X small SUV – from $48,900 drive-away
3 eq. Geely EX5 medium SUV – from $45,893 drive-away
3 eq. MG S5 EV small SUV – from $40,990 drive-away
5. BYD Dolphin hatchback – from $33,415 drive-away
6. GAC Aion V medium SUV – from $46,180 drive-away
7 eq. Deepal S07 medium SUV – from $46,990 drive-away
7 eq. Leapmotor C10 medium SUV – from $49,892 drive-away
9. Kia EV5 medium SUV – from $49,990 drive-away
10. Kia EV3 small SUV – from $46,990 drive-away
See the table below for individual results across ANCAP’s four assessment pillars and the overall weighted score. The Leapmotor B10 is the clear standout with an overall score above 90%, with impressive results for adult occupant protection and child occupant protection, the latter (95%) equal to the highest achieved to date under ANCAP’s 2023-2025 testing criteria. For sheer value, the BYD Dolphin hatchback is also hard to overlook $33,415 drive-away and an 85.2% weighted score.
For the record, the cheapest electric car in Australia, the BYD Atto 1 hatchback (priced from $27,163 drive-away) finished in 11th position with an 81.0 per cent weighted score. The BYD Atto 2 small SUV (from $35,499 drive-away) has not yet been rated by ANCAP.
Top 10 safest EVs in Australia priced from $50,000 to $65,000
The Top 10 safest EVs in Australia priced between $50,000 and $65,000 (current national or Victorian private buyer drive-away prices), based on ANCAP testing, are:
1. Tesla Model Y medium SUV – from $64,483 drive-away
2. Tesla Model 3 medium sedan – from $60,315 drive-away
3. Smart #3 small SUV – from $50,990 drive-away
4 eq. MG IM6 medium SUV – from $64,628 drive-away
4 eq. MG IM5 medium sedan – from $64,628 drive-away
6. Zeekr 7X medium SUV – from $64,109 drive-away
7 eq. Hyundai Elexio medium SUV – from $57,990 drive-away
7 eq. Toyota bZ4X medium SUV – from $61,351 drive-away
9. Xpeng G6 small SUV – from $54,800 drive-away
10. BYD Seal medium sedan – from $57,381 drive-away
As we’ve detailed in our separate safety guides, the Tesla Model Y is rated not only the safest EV but Australia’s safest car overall, based on the outstanding results the top-selling electric medium SUV has achieved in ANCAP testing. See the table below for a full breakdown across the assessment criteria for the top performing models.
The popular BYD Sealion 7 medium SUV (priced from $59,465 drive-away) just missed out on a top 10 ranking, sitting behind the BYD Seal in 11th position with an 84.2% ANCAP weighted score.
Other strong performers included the Volvo EX30 small SUV (from $56,241 drive-away, 84.0% weighted score), Mini Countryman small SUV (from $62,718 drive-away, 83.2% weighted score), Mini Aceman compact SUV (from $55,445 drive-away, 82.6% weighted score) and the Kia EV4 medium sedan (from $55,042 drive-away, 82.4% weighted score).
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
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