The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday announced the results of its crash testing of the 2017 Tesla Model X SUV.
The all-electric crossover, launched in 2015, did exceptionally well, scoring five-start ratings in the categories that NHTSA evaluates.
"We engineered Model X to be the safest SUV ever, and today, [NHTSA] announced that after conducting independent testing, it has awarded Model X a 5-star safety rating in every category and sub-category, making it the first SUV ever to earn the 5-star rating across the board," Tesla said in a statement.
"More than just resulting in a 5-star rating, the data from NHTSA’s testing shows that Model X has the lowest probability of injury of any SUV it has ever tested. In fact, of all the cars NHTSA has ever tested, Model X’s overall probability of injury was second only to Model S."
Tesla stressed that the Model X was from the beginning engineered to be a very safe vehicle, with a design that is particularly effective at reducing roll-over risk, due to a large battery back that provides a low center of gravity.
With two vehicles scoring high NHTSA crash-test ratings, the next objective will be for Tesla's $35,000 Model 3 vehicle, scheduled to launch in July, to perform as well.
