ANCAP safety ratings show mixed results for Chinese EVs

New ANCAP safety testing under the stringent 2026–2028 criteria has yielded varying results for several Chinese-made electric and hybrid vehicles in the Australian and New Zealand markets.

The BYD Sealion 5, including its Essential and Premium DM-i plug-in hybrid variants, received a three-star rating. While the vehicle performed well in crash protection (79%) and post-crash scenarios (74%), it showed significant limitations in safe driving (48%) and crash avoidance (51%). Specific weaknesses included inconsistent autonomous emergency braking at intersections, limited low-speed collision avoidance, and a driver monitoring system that failed to detect phone use or driver unresponsiveness.

In contrast, the Xpeng X9 MPV and the GAC Aion UT hatch both achieved maximum five-star safety ratings. The Xpeng X9 earned top scores for occupant protection and post-crash safety features. The GAC Aion UT demonstrated strong performance in crash avoidance scenarios involving pedestrians and cyclists, as well as high marks for side impact protection aided by a center airbag.