India's safest electric cars: Tata Punch EV, Nexon EV receive 5-star rating in Bharat NCAP test

The Punch.ev set a major milestone by receiving the highest ever scores achieved by any vehicle till date

Tata Motors has announced that Punch.ev' and and the Nexon.ev have achieved the 5 star in the crash test results of Bharat-NCAP safety rating. the homegrown carmaker said that the electric versions of its compact SUVs Punch and Nexon have become the first recipients of the five-star Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat-NCAP) rating in the electric vehicles (EV) category.

The Indian New Car Assessment Program, more commonly referred to as BNCAP, crash test cars and conduct performance assessments on safety features and technologies then publish a simple star rating to indicate relative safety performance.

According to a statement by the Tata Motors, the Punch.ev set a major milestone by receiving the highest ever scores achieved by any vehicle till date – 31.46/32 and 45/49 points for adult occupant protection (AOP) and child occupant protection (COP) respectively, the Nexon.ev scored 29.86/32 and 44.95/49 points for AOP and COP respectively.

Nitin Gadkari, the union minister of road transport and highways, in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, said, "Congratulations to @tataev @TataMotors for achieving a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating for the Punch.ev and Nexon.ev, thus becoming the first ever 5-star rated EVs in the Indian automotive market."

In the same post, Gadkari further said that as electric vehicles spearhead the future of mobility in India and a strong Bharat NCAP rating serves as an "invaluable tool" for consumers in selecting safer vehicles, and it stands as a testament to the high level of safety provided to the vehicle's occupants.

Punch ev crash test

Shailesh Chandra, MD, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, said, “We have continued to be the pioneers in driving the safety conversation – ensuring that our commitment reflects in every vehicle we manufacture, regardless of price point. We welcome stricter government safety standards and are proud to be the first manufacturer to have sent vehicles and lead the Bharat-NCAP protocol with superlative results."

We are delighted to produce India’s safest vehicle – an EV – in the Punch.ev, while the Nexon.ev continues its legacy of safety with its 5-star rating. Together, all four of our SUVs tested under the Bharat-NCAP have achieved 5-star ratings, setting a benchmark for all passenger vehicles to follow. Looking ahead, our proactive stance on safety will continue, backed by extensive R&D to help us evolve and enable us in leading the way to create a safer future for every road user.”

"The Punch.ev, since its launch, has been quite an attraction for EV enthusiasts and first-time buyers, with over 35% owners from the rural markets," according to a statement by the company."With its combination of long range, exalting performance, cutting-edge technology, and features that are generally found in segments 2 – 3 above its own, the Punch.ev has attracted over 10,000 proud members to its family," the statement further added.