- The Geely EX2 and Leapmotor B05 have both been awarded 5 Stars under ANCAP's new safety assessment.
- The models are among the first to be tested under ANCAP's new Stages of Safety criteria.
- ANCAP says both cars represent the growing levels of safety in the affordable EV segment.
Two new electric vehicles have earned 5 Star ANCAP safety ratings, with one being a sub-$40k budget model.
The Leapmotor B05 and Geely EX2 are among the first models assessed under ANCAP's new Stages of Safety criteria, with both scoring top marks under the new, tougher standard.
Introduced in 2026, the updated assessment framework is designed to reflect changing vehicle technology and evaluates vehicles across four key areas: Safe Driving, Crash Avoidance, Crash Protection and Post Crash.
The two models are the second and third vehicles to be assessed under the new criteria, with the Leapmotor B05 scoring an impressive 96 percent for crash protection. ANCAP said the electric hatchback's structure and restraint systems provided good protection for occupants of different sizes across a range of impact scenarios.
The B05's crash avoidance systems also performed well, particularly its lane departure collision prevention and autonomous emergency braking technologies. However, some of ANCAP's new low-speed tests proved more challenging, including scenarios involving pedal misapplication and potential driveway runover incidents.
The B05 also performed well in the Post Crash category. All Australian and New Zealand-market vehicles are fitted with eCall hardware, which can automatically notify emergency services of a vehicle's location and the severity of a crash.
Leapmotor says the fully operational eCall function is expected to be activated in coming months, with existing B05 owners also gaining access to the feature.
The smaller and cheaper Geely EX2 also achieved a full 5 Star rating, with ANCAP highlighting the EX2's occupant monitoring system, which can detect incorrect seatbelt use and adjust restraints according to the size of front-seat occupants. Its driver monitoring system also performed well at identifying common forms of distraction.
The EX2's autonomous emergency braking and lane support systems performed well across most tested scenarios, and its lane support technology was particularly effective at helping avoid collisions with oncoming and overtaking vehicles and motorcycles.
As with the Leapmotor, some of ANCAP's newer low-speed scenarios presented greater challenges. These included turning across the path of another vehicle or motorcycle, reversing towards a pedestrian and pedal misapplication.
In crash testing, the EX2 provided generally good protection in frontal and side impacts, although ANCAP recorded an elevated risk of leg injury for the driver in the frontal offset test.
The organisation also noted the EX2's "impressive" crash compatibility with other vehicles, saying its smaller size and additional frontal crush space, made possible by the absence of an internal combustion engine, contributed to the result.
Following a crash, the EX2 demonstrated effective battery voltage isolation and fire risk management. Its doors, seatbelt buckles and tailgate also remained operable after impact. Like the Leapmotor B05, the EX2 is fitted with eCall hardware from launch. Geely expects to activate the system for existing and new vehicles within 12 months.
"These results show that choosing a more affordable electric vehicle doesn’t have to mean compromising on safety," said ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg. "The Leapmotor B05 and Geely EX2 have got the fundamentals right, delivering good crash protection, effective crash avoidance technology and important safety features as standard.
"The B05 and EX2 are among the first models assessed against our new criteria, setting a strong early standard for five-star safety.
"With more brands and models entering the Australian and New Zealand markets, safety is another area where manufacturers need to compete. These results show buyers that newer and lesser-known brands can deliver 5 Star safety at an affordable price."
