Ford did enough to prepare its electric crossover, the 2022 Mustang Mach-E, for a T-bone crash on American roads. That is the conclusion of new crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Under the new test, which puts 82 percent more energy into a test vehicle than the old one, the Mustang Mach-E was able to maintain its “Good” rating, the highest possible level in the side-impact evaluation.
The electric crossover did a good job of protecting the heads of both the front and rear passengers, giving it a “good” result in those tests. Measurements of the dummies in most body regions, meanwhile, showed a low risk of injury, with only the driver’s torso showing a slightly increased risk.
It wasn’t all good news for the Mustang Mach-E, though. In terms of structural performance, it was hitch points because the left rear door partially opened during the crash. That means the IIHS has downgraded the crossover from a “good” rating to an “acceptable” rating in that subcategory of testing.
The safety organization announced about a year ago that it would introduce new, stricter side-impact tests to better reflect the vehicles on US roads, which are heavier and larger than the vehicles when the test was initially conceived. This has led to more serious accidents in which more people have died.
As a result, the IIHS increased the weight of its guardrail from 3,300 lbs (1,497 kg) to 4,200 lbs (1,905 kg). Accident rates have also been increased to take into account the most pressing safety issues on the road. Now the barrier hits a test vehicle traveling at 37 mph (60 km/h) instead of 31 mph (50 km/h).
Testing has proved challenging, with only one of 20 small SUVs tested by the organization under the new regime last year. In the future, however, that rating will be necessary for cars to earn a “Top Safety Pick+,” the IIHS’s highest award.