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Euro NCAP Awards Five Stars to Nio ES8, Lynk & Co 01, and Toyota Mirai

It does not matter how much things change with time: people will often stick with preconceptions for as long as possible. Ask the average Joe about how safe EVs, FCEVs, or Chinese cars are, and they will tell you they’re dangerous. Euro NCAP begged to disagree and awarded the Nio ES8, Lynk & Co 01, and Toyota Mirai with five stars. Put in another way: they are among the safest cars you can buy in Europe nowadays.
Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Nio ES8, Lynk & Co 01, and Toyota Mirai 46 photos
Photo: Euro NCAP
Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Lynk & Co 01Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Lynk & Co 01Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Lynk & Co 01Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Lynk & Co 01Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Lynk & Co 01Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Lynk & Co 01Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Lynk & Co 01Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Lynk & Co 01Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Lynk & Co 01Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Lynk & Co 01Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Toyota MiraiEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Toyota MiraiEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Toyota MiraiEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Toyota MiraiEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Toyota MiraiEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Toyota MiraiEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Toyota MiraiEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Toyota MiraiEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Subaru OutbackEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Subaru OutbackEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Subaru OutbackEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Subaru OutbackEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Subaru OutbackEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Subaru OutbackEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Subaru OutbackEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Subaru OutbackEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Audi Q4 e-tronEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Audi Q4 e-tronEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Audi Q4 e-tronEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Audi Q4 e-tronEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Audi Q4 e-tronEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Audi Q4 e-tronEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Audi Q4 e-tronEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Audi Q4 e-tronEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Audi Q4 e-tronEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Audi Q4 e-tronEuro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Nio ES8Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Nio ES8Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Nio ES8Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Nio ES8Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Nio ES8Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Nio ES8Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Nio ES8Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Nio ES8Euro NCAP Gives Five Stars to Nio ES8, Lynk & Co 01, and Toyota Mirai
The Audi Q4 e-tron also won five stars, but that was more than expected when the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Skoda Enyaq iV received that score earlier in 2021. They are all based on the MEB, and some will even say they are the same car with a different body shell. The Subaru Outback was the last vehicle in this round of tests, and it also got five stars.

Regarding the Lynk & Co 01, Euro NCAP credited its top marks in adult protection (96%) to it sharing its underpinnings with the Volvo XC40. That must have certainly helped. Comparing the score of both vehicles, the XC40 had a slightly higher grade in adult protection (97%) and got the same marks in child protection (87%) and preventing damage to vulnerable road users (71%). However, the Lynk & Co 01 went much better than the Volvo regarding safety assist: 81% against 76%.

The Nio ES8 did not have a European relative to help it. It is a Chinese project that got a visa to conquer Europe and may do so with top marks thanks to its own merits. It really stood out of the competition in safety assist (92%) and did well in adult protection (82%), child protection (84%), and safeguarding vulnerable road users (72%).

The Mirai follows a long tradition of high safety scores from Toyota vehicles, the last being the Yaris. Its high scores show that hydrogen does not pose a safety risk, as some people believe. The issue with hydrogen is basically the price and where to get it.

Euro NCAP’s Secretary General, Michiel van Ratingen, praised Nio and Lynk & Co for their results but poked BYD, Xpeng, DFSK, and Seres for “still not (being) so transparent to European consumers when it comes to safety.” These companies probably have refused to sponsor the tests for their cars, eventually leading Euro NCAP to buy and test their vehicles independently. They would better have the same credentials Nio and Lynk & Co presented not to feed more prejudice against electric and Chinese cars.

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About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
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Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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