Short answer No single brand is always “the safest,” but a handful of manufacturers consistently top independent crash- and safety‑technology tests: Hyundai Motor Group (Hyundai, Kia, Genesis), Volvo, Audi (VW Group), Ford, Tesla, and Rivian are among the companies whose EVs frequently earn the highest safety awards. (iihs.org, hyundai.com, euroncap.com)

Why I say that (evidence)

• The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick / Top Safety Pick+ list for 2025 includes many electric models from Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Ford, Tesla, Rivian and Audi — a strong indicator those makers build EVs that do well in crashworthiness and crash‑avoidance testing. (iihs.org)
• Hyundai Motor Group points out it led the 2025 IIHS awards (multiple Hyundai, Kia and Genesis models earned TSP/TSP+). That reflects broad, repeatable performance across several EV models. (hyundai.com)
• Euro NCAP’s 2024 testing highlights manufacturers (including Mercedes/Volvo and some Chinese EV makers) that score highly on occupant protection, vulnerable‑road‑user protection and safety assist — useful when shopping in Europe or comparing global test results. (euroncap.com)
• The US NHTSA 5‑Star program is another place to check crash and rollover scores; many EVs appear on its tested lists and it also checks advanced driver‑assist functions. (Ratings are model‑ and year‑specific.) (nhtsa.gov)

Representative safe EV models (examples)

• Hyundai Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6 — IIHS Top Safety Pick+ winners. (iihs.org)
• Kia EV9 — IIHS Top Safety Pick+. (iihs.org)
• Genesis (GV60, Electrified GV70) — multiple IIHS honors. (hyundai.com)
• Tesla Model Y — IIHS Top Safety Pick+ (but note Tesla has had high profile recalls and model‑specific issues at times). (iihs.org, reuters.com)
• Rivian R1S / R1T — IIHS Top Safety Pick / TSP+. (iihs.org)
• Audi Q6 e‑tron and other VW‑group EVs have also scored well in tests. (iihs.org)

What to check when you want the safest EV for you

• Look up the exact model year and trim: crash/assist ratings can change with redesigns or different options. (IIHS and NHTSA make this easy to check.) (iihs.org, nhtsa.gov)
• Prefer vehicles with both strong crashworthiness and advanced, rated crash‑avoidance (automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane‑keep, good headlights). IIHS TSP+ and NHTSA 5‑Star are quick filters. (iihs.org, nhtsa.gov)
• Check for recent recalls and reliability trends (reliability affects long‑term safety — e.g., how well safety systems are maintained/updated). Consumer Reports / news coverage can help there. (apnews.com, reuters.com)

If you want, tell me the specific EV model(s) or the year and I’ll pull the current IIHS, NHTSA and Euro NCAP ratings and any recent recalls for those exact vehicles.