The EV6, a dedicated electric vehicle representing Kia, obtained the highest rating, Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+), in the crash safety evaluation of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This achievement follows the highest safety rating (5 stars) given by the Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program) in May. In other words, EV6 proved excellent safety in the most stringent US and European safety evaluation tests. Here is a detailed explanation of the evaluation of the Kia EV6, which received the highest rating from the IIHS, and the safety technology of E‒GMP, which has stood out in numerous global safety evaluations.
In this evaluation, the EV6 succeeded in obtaining TSP+ by receiving the highest rating in all categories, including crash safety, forward collision prevention, and headlamp performance. The TSP+ rating must receive Good in the crash test and Advanced in the Front crash prevention. In addition, only vehicles equipped with headlamps of acceptable grade or higher as standard in all trims can receive TSP+.
First of all, the excellent safety performance of the Kia EV6 was revealed in the crash safety evaluation of the US IIHS. It received the highest grade of ‘good’ in all six crash safety categories, including driver’s seat small overlap, passenger seat small overlap, frontal collision, side collision, roof strength, and head restraints & seats.
In particular, it was perfect in frontal impact, side impact, roof strength, and head restraints & seats. In a head‒on collision in which only the front half of the vehicle collided at a speed of 40 miles per hour (approximately 64 km/h), it received Good in all items and scored Good in all injuries to the head/neck, chest, left leg, and right leg. In addition, it received Good for minimizing the possibility of injury to the driver and rear‒seat passengers in a side collision, and also scored Good for roof stiffness and head restraints based on excellent test results.
The EV6 earned the highest grade, Superior, in the vehicle‒to‒vehicle frontal collision prevention test. The advanced safety specifications applied to the Kia EV6 shined. Regarding this, the IIHS said, “The EV6’s forward collision warning function worked well, and it avoided a collision by braking properly at both 20 and 40 km/h.” Even in the vehicle‒to‒pedestrian test, which is conducted under more demanding conditions, the EV6 performed excellently and received a Superior. At speeds of 20 km/h and 40 km/h, the EV6 properly recognized children and adult pedestrians to avoid collisions, and at 60 km/h, the EV6 safely braked even when an adult pedestrian was walking in the same direction as the vehicle.
The Kia EV6 also recorded a Good grade in the headlamp test, which is a prerequisite for the TSP+ rating. Not only the excellent performance of the LED headlamps, but also the application of LED reflector‒type headlamps to all trims of the 2023 EV6 sold in North America was the secret to receiving a good evaluation. As a result of evaluation by IIHS, the EV6’s LED headlamp has proved its excellent irradiation performance with an irradiation distance of 500ft (approximately 152m). In addition, it was evaluated to provide a convenient irradiation environment by recognizing the vehicle in front and house the High Beam Assist (HBA) that automatically turns on or off the high beam.
The evaluation of the 2023 Kia EV6 far exceeded the minimum standards required to obtain a TSP+ rating, indicating that the model has secured the highest level of safety.
As a result, the Kia EV6 obtained the highest grade in the safety evaluation of IIHS, Euro NCAP, and KNCAP (Korea New Car Assessment Program). The EV6 isn’t the only one with this achievement; Hyundai Motor’s IONIQ 5 and Genesis GV60 also received the highest ratings from IIHS and Euro NCAP. (IONIQ 6 also received 5 stars from Euro NCAP ‒ before IIHS evaluation).
As such, Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated electric vehicles, which stand out in the global safety evaluation, all house the E‒GMP platform. In other words, E‒GMP, which is the basis of Hyundai Motor Group’s electric vehicles, is the secret to excellent safety performance. In fact, E‒GMP has been completed with a structure optimized for the characteristics of electric vehicles as well as a design that considers customer safety as a top priority. Looking at the characteristic components of E‒GMP, various safety technologies for passenger safety can be found.
The biggest feature of E‒GMP is the multi‒skeleton structure consisting of a frame‒subframe reinforcement structure at the front of the body. The structure effectively absorbs impact in the event of a frontal collision to minimize damage to passengers and batteries. In addition, the low center of gravity design with the battery placed on the floor of the body is a factor that helps not only dynamic driving performance but also crash safety. In addition, E‒GMP added a structure that induces deformation inside the body and another structure that alleviates impact to protect rear passengers from rear‒seat collisions.
The structure to protect the battery and PE system located in the center of the body is also a stand‒out safety factor. E‒GMP used an aluminum extruded material for the side seal to protect the battery in case of a side crash. In addition, an 8‒point mount that penetrates the battery was used to firmly fix the battery to the vehicle body. This fastens the inside of the bottom of the body and the battery with a long bolt, effectively increasing the rigidity of the vehicle body and securing the safety of the battery in the event of a collision.
In addition, Hyundai Motor Group’s electric vehicles are equipped with a variety of advanced driving safety assistance features to provide more advanced safety performance ‒ such as Forward Collision‒Avoidance Assist (FCA), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), High Beam Assist (HBA), Blind‒Spot Collision‒Avoidance Assist (BCA), and Highway Driving Assist (HDA). This is a part that not only consumers but also a number of safety evaluation agencies are paying close attention to. As such, Hyundai Motor Group’s electric vehicles are focusing on implementing more active safety performance based on advanced safety technology.
Thanks to the results of this evaluation, Hyundai Motor Group’s excellent safety technology has been re‒known to the world; Through the development of various safety technologies and E‒GMP, which prioritize passenger safety, it has achieved valuable results by satisfying the increasingly strict safety standards. This was possible because of the customer‒centered safety philosophy that Hyundai Motor Group has pursued for a long time. Hyundai Motor Group will focus its capabilities on developing safety technology so that anyone can comfortably enjoy the freedom of movement in the future.
HMG Journal Operation Team
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