Chinese electric cars have earned 5 stars from Euro NCAP. The Cupra Raval gets 4 stars without the safety package.
Euro NCAP released the test results for four small electric vehicles aimed at the European market on September 2. The Geely EX2, Leapmotor B05, and Aion UT each received 5 stars, while the Cupra Raval finished with 4 stars, which increases to 5 when an optional safety package is added.
This is an important signal for Chinese brands, as the old accusation that “they’re cheap, so they must be weak in crashes” is increasingly failing to hold up against the data.
Three Chinese cars get full stars, Cupra falls short without options
In the latest round, Euro NCAP evaluated four small electric vehicles: the Geely EX2, Leapmotor B05, Aion UT, and Cupra Raval. The first three, all Chinese-made, earned 5 stars. The Raval received 4 stars, though the organization notes that with the optional safety package, it can also reach 5 stars.
A star must be given to the methodology itself. The final rating isn’t determined solely by how well the body handles a collision. Euro NCAP also takes into account collision avoidance systems and driver assistance features.
And this is where the Cupra falls short. The Raval doesn’t come standard with features found in competitors, such as forward traffic alert or adaptive cruise control. After adding optional upgrades, its score becomes more competitive.
In numerical terms, it looks like this: The Aion UT scored 74% in the crash avoidance category, the Leapmotor B05 scored 77%, while the Cupra Raval scored 72%. The Geely E2, which is how the model appears in some communications, reaches the same level as the Cupra with optional packages.
Euro NCAP reduced scores for screens instead of buttons
This doesn’t mean Chinese models passed the test without criticism. Euro NCAP criticized the Aion UT and Leapmotor B05 for relying too heavily on touchscreens for vehicle control. These are functions used while driving, making them more practical than marketing-driven “smart cockpits.”
This affected their score in the safe driving category, which includes monitoring drivers and passengers as well as the ease of using functions while moving. The Aion UT and Leapmotor B05 both received 66 percent in this category. For comparison, Geely scored 79 percent, partly because it retained more physical buttons for key functions. In short: less tablet, better score.
There’s one more detail. The Geely E2 launches in Europe at a price below 20,000 euros, which is roughly 85,000 zł when converted simply. It’s one of the cheapest new electric cars available on this market. And it is at such prices that the question often arises whether the manufacturer is cutting corners on safety. This time, the numbers don’t support that.
Chinese cars in the early 2000s indeed performed poorly in crash tests. Today, the issue is more often the ergonomics of the screens rather than the car’s structure itself. And that’s a significant change. What do you think? Will buyers in Europe believe these 5 stars, or will prejudices against Chinese brands persist for longer?
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