Cheap Chinese EVs get five-star safety ratings

Two of the smallest and most affordable electric vehicles (EVs) offered locally have been awarded top safety ratings from independent safety authority ANCAP. 

The Leapmotor B05 and Geely EX2 have been awarded five-star ratings by ANCAP, based on testing conducted by sister authority Euro NCAP against new, stricter 2026 test protocols.

They're the second and third vehicles to be tested under these new protocols, following the more expensive BMW iX3 earlier this year which also received a five-star rating.

“These results show that choosing a more affordable electric vehicle doesn’t have to mean compromising on safety,” said ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg in a release.

“The Leapmotor B05 and Geely EX2 have got the fundamentals right, delivering good crash protection, effective crash avoidance technology and important safety features as standard.”

Both vehicles were nevertheless criticised for making drivers rely too heavily on the touchscreen to control vehicle functions.

The Leapmotor B05, a small rear-wheel drive electric hatchback, scored 66 per cent for Safe Driving, 77 per cent for Crash Avoidance, 92 per cent for Crash Protection, and 89 per cent for Post Crash. 

ANCAP gave the model credit for its performance in full-width frontal crash tests in particular, adding that it received maximum scores for adult and child occupants in side-impact testing and that it has a "well-designed vehicle structure".

It also praised the performance of its autonomous emergency braking, particularly its ability to handle pedestrians and scenarios where a driver is turning across the path of another vehicle.

Also coming in for praise were the Leapmotor's lane departure collision prevention systems, and the brand's planned rollout of an eCall system by September 2027, which will automatically notify emergency responders of a crash.

The slightly smaller Geely EX2, another rear-wheel drive electric hatch, received a Safe Driving score of 79 per cent, a Crash Avoidance score of 72 per cent, a Crash Protection score of 86 per cent, and a Post Crash score of 95 per cent.

In its report, ANCAP credited the EX2 for the performance of its lane support systems, as well as an occupant monitoring system which can recognise incorrect seatbelt use and an adaptive cruise control system that "performed well in detecting and responding to other vehicles, motorcycles, pedestrians and cyclists".

ANCAP also praised Geely for its plans to roll out eCall functionality within 12 months.

Every Geely model on sale in Australia currently has a five-star ANCAP safety rating, as does every electric Leapmotor model.

The EX2 and B05 are the latest affordable Chinese electric cars to receive a five-star safety rating, following BYD's Atto 1 – Australia's cheapest EV – and the MG 4 EV Urban, all of which were tested under the previous 2023-25 test protocols.

MORE: 2026 ANCAP safety protocols are here: What you need to know
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MORE: Explore the Leapmotor B05 showroom