For the first time, electric cars have been tested in safety crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf both earned top scores for front, side, and rear-impact crashes, as well as for rollover crash protection.

The Institute says that both vehicles are protected because of the heavy battery packs. While both vehicles are classified as small cars, the weight caused by the battery packs put them closer to large sedans. They state the Volt has a mass closer to that of the Chevy Impala, while the Leaf is similar in weight to the Nissan Altima. Heavier vehicles protect the occupants because the cars are less likely to be thrown around in an accident.

However, two other electric vehicles, the Gem e2 and the Wheego Whip both performed poorly on side-impact tests. These two cars are more like golf carts, and don't have to meet federal safety standards since they run at very low speeds. The test was done for research purposes only.

The federal government has not yet released any information on crash tests of the Volt and Leaf.

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