BYD were relatively unknown in the UK market until they sponsored the Euros in 2024. Since then, they’re starting to make their way onto the UK roads and are certainly turning more than a few heads. If you’re looking for a new electric car, we think BYD are good contenders in your search, especially as some of the safest electric cars on the road right now. We’ve listed the top 3 safest BYD cars according to Euro-NCAP for your peace of mind.
What are the common safety concerns around electric cars in general?
Since electric cars have taken the market by storm, concerns around their general safety have been called into question. Most of this revolves around their battery life, the range that they can afford and how the vehicle actually works. This has encouraged drivers to ask certain questions around how safe they would be if they considered buying an electric vehicle for their next car.
How dangerous are EVs in a crash?
Electric cars are just as safe, if not more safe than your typical petrol or diesel cars. Vehicle crash tests are performed by the Euro-NCAP, which is an independent body that tests the safety of vehicles by reconstructing certain types of crashes and evaluating the results. Some of the safest electric cars they have discovered over the past year include BYD, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, so you can rest assured that buying an electric vehicle is no more dangerous than a petrol or diesel.
Are batteries in electric vehicles dangerous?
Much larger than your typical battery, EVs are equipped with a lithium-ion battery. Although these batteries have a reputation for catching fire, the manufacturer does everything they can to protect the battery pack from getting damaged. You may have noticed that electric vehicles catching fire are featured more in the news than those of ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles, but the reality is electric car fires happen a lot less frequently than they do in ICE vehicles. As standard, EVs are fitted with a BMS (battery management system) that ensures things are running smoothly with the battery, by regulating temperature and monitoring performance. Should the rare instance occur that a battery catches fire, fire services have adapted to the changing times and developed an easy way of effectively putting out a car battery fire.
Safest BYD cars on the market
Euro-NCAP has compiled a list of the safest cars on the market. This list has been put together after rigorous testing under different crash circumstances. You’ll be pleased to know that if you’re considering one of these car models, BYD makes up a lot of that list with a range of their models.
BYD DOLPHIN
Receiving an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, the BYD DOLPHIN starts off strong with its abundant safety features. As a small family car, safety in this car will be of the utmost importance to any driver and the Dolphin won’t let you down. All BYD DOLPHINs are equipped with the Blade battery, BYD’s innovative answer to EV battery safety concerns, but also offers performance and durability. Unlike other EVs, the Blade battery uses lithium iron-phosphate (LFP), which offers better thermal stability and higher levels of safety than the lithium-ion battery we’re so used to hearing about.
Looking at some of the highlights of the crash test results, the DOLPHIN performed well for adult occupant protection and child occupant protection, scoring 89% and 87%, respectively. The construction of the vehicle minimised the impact on passengers by regulating how the energy of the collision is stored. Other tests concluded that excellent protection was provided to critical areas of the body for children in the back seat.
Other safety features of the BYD DOLPHIN include:
- Auto Emergency Braking- this technology applies the brakes, should the driver be unable to, to either avoid a collision or at least reduce the impact should one occur.
- Electronic Stability Control- should the driver lose control of the vehicle, this automatic feature will be enabled. Cars fitted with this feature experience 32% less accidents than those without. It works by correcting over or understeering, stabilising the car during evasive manoeuvers and providing better handling on gravely patches.
- Lane Keep Assist- a standard feature in many modern cars, lane keep assist gently encourages the driver to stabilise themselves in their lane, should they start wandering into another lane.
- Driver Attention Detection- this system works by detecting drowsiness from the driver. It does this through movements of the steering wheel and amount of time you’ve driven. Through auditory and visual warnings, the driver will be made aware and urged to take a break. More advanced technology studies eye and head movement through a camera in the steering wheel.
BYD SEAL
Another safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars, the BYD SEAL is the next model on our line-up of the safest electric cars on the market. Part of the larger family car range, we’d expect a similar level of safety to the DOLPHIN - and it doesn’t disappoint. Similarly to the DOLPHIN, the SEAL provides top-of-the-range safety features including Autonomous Emergency Braking, Speed Sign Recognition and Lane Departure Warning. The combined 8-in-1 electric powertrain and Blade battery forms the e-Platform 3.0, which controls the energy absorption should a collision happen. This minimises the effect of the crash on the driver and passengers.
Looking at the highlights of the crash testing for the SEAL, it performed very similarly to the DOLPHIN, scoring 89% for the adult occupancy protection and 87% for the child occupancy protection. This is thanks to its torsional stiffness, which is a testament to the build quality and manufacturing that has gone into making sure this car can keep you and your family safe.
Other safety features of the BYD SEAL include:
- Auto Emergency Braking - this technology applies the brakes, to either avoid a collision or at least reduce the impact should one occur. This will activate if the driver is unable to brake.
- Side Curtain Airbags Front Row - these airbags are located to the side of you and your passengers along the windows, protecting against head injuries in the event of a crash.
- Front Airbag Driver - this airbag is located on the drivers side and is designed to protect the driver from both head injuries and other bodily injuries, in case the driver strikes any other parts of the car.
- Front Airbag Passenger - very similar to the driver's airbag, but this airbag is located on the front passenger’s side of the vehicle.
BYD SEAL U DM-i
The BYD SEAL U DM-i is considered a small SUV and is the plug-in hybrid version of the electric SEAL U and is the model that is available in the UK. It is ideal for larger families or long-distance driving. This car has also gained itself a 5 out of 5 star rating, making it a top contender for family life. Featuring the usual safety components that can be found throughout the BYD range, there are other safety features that sets the DM-i apart from the others - window breaking and seatbelt cutting devices.
BYD’s commitment to driver and passenger safety knows no bounds and with these standard extras, drivers can be assured that every option has been offered to them in the case of an emergency. Window-breaking devices allow you to safely break your window should you need to escape through it and the seatbelt-cutting device allows you to cut through your seatbelt easily so you are no longer restrained.
Some other safety features include:
- An intelligent driving system - the DM-i is fully kitted out with a range of safety systems to ease your worries on long road trips; a Vehicle Stability Control System, which helps to prevent a loss of control should you steer away from the road, a lane departure warning, in the event that you drift out of your lane and a rear cross traffic warning, which warns you of traffic approaching from either side when reversing.
- Panoramic imaging in HD - this car comes equipped with a 360° panoramic camera, so that you can be aware of your surroundings at all times. This removes your typical blind spots and ensures that you know what is happening around you, minimising the risk of accidents.
- Robust steel structure body - both the chassis and the batteries are manufactured with high-strength steel, which helps to reduce overall damage and impact should you be involved in an accident.
Browse the Collection of the Safest BYD Cars Today
All of the cars you see here are featured in Euro-NCAP’s list of the safest electric cars of 2023, but an honourable mention should be the BYD Atto 3, which is also known to be one of the safest electric cars on the road. BYD have proven themselves to be one of the safest car manufacturers today and considering they were fairly unknown in the UK market before the Euros, they’re paving the way for safe electric vehicles. Browse through our BYD vehicles today to find the safest car for you and your family. If you’re unsure what you're looking for or would like more information about one of the vehicles you see on our website, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our team and we’d be happy to help you.