Key highlights
- Geely EX2 and Leapmotor B05 have both received five-star ANCAP safety ratings.
- The ratings are based on Euro NCAP testing under stricter 2026 protocols.
- Both EVs were praised for crash protection and safety technology, although touchscreen reliance was criticised.
If you’ve been eyeing off one of the growing waves of affordable Chinese EVs but wondering whether “cheap” and “safe” can actually coexist, ANCAP has just handed down a pretty reassuring answer. The Leapmotor B05 and Geely EX2, both compact, rear-wheel-drive electric hatchbacks, have each walked away with a five-star safety rating from ANCAP, based on testing carried out by its European counterpart, Euro NCAP.
What makes this worth paying attention to is the test itself. These aren’t the same crash protocols used on most cars currently on Australian roads. They’re the new, tougher 2026 rulebook, and so far only three cars have been put through it: the BMW iX3, which passed with five stars earlier this year, and now this pair of budget-friendly hatchbacks. ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg said the results were proof that going affordable doesn’t mean going without. According to ANCAP, the two hatchbacks got the fundamentals right, delivering solid crash protection, effective crash-avoidance tech, and important safety features fitted as standard rather than left on the options list.
Leapmotor B05 scores strongly in crash protection
The Leapmotor B05 achieved an overall five-star rating, with a 66 per cent Safe Driving score, 77 per cent Crash Avoidance score, 92 per cent Crash Protection score and 89 per cent Post Crash score. The small rear-wheel-drive electric hatch performed particularly well in frontal crash testing. ANCAP noted the vehicle’s well-designed structure and highlighted its strong performance in full-width frontal impacts.
It also achieved maximum scores for adult and child occupants in side-impact testing. Crash avoidance technology was another strength. The B05’s autonomous emergency braking system was praised for detecting pedestrians and responding to situations where a vehicle is turning across the path of another road user.
Its lane-departure collision prevention systems also received positive feedback. Leapmotor is also planning to introduce an eCall system by September 2027, which is designed to automatically alert emergency services following a crash.
Geely EX2 delivers a strong safety result
The slightly smaller Geely EX2, which is also a rear-wheel-drive electric hatchback, performed particularly well in the active-safety portion of the testing. It recorded a 79 per cent Safe Driving score, 72 per cent Crash Avoidance score, 86 per cent Crash Protection score and 95 per cent Post Crash score.
ANCAP praised the EX2’s lane-support systems and its occupant monitoring technology, which can identify incorrect seatbelt use. Its adaptive cruise control system also performed well when detecting and responding to cars, motorcycles, pedestrians and cyclists. Like Leapmotor, Geely plans to introduce eCall functionality within 12 months.
The one shared gripe; too much reliance on the touchscreen
It’s not all good news, though. Both cars were criticised for pushing too many everyday functions through the central touchscreen rather than using physical buttons, a complaint that’s becoming increasingly common as manufacturers chase minimalist cabin design. For anyone who’s ever tried to adjust the demister while navigating peak-hour traffic on the M1, it’s a fair point, some controls are simply safer as a button you can find by feel.
A win for value-conscious EV shoppers
Every Geely currently sold in Australia carries a five-star ANCAP rating, and the same goes for every electric Leapmotor model. That consistency matters, because it means buyers shopping at the affordable end of the EV market aren’t being asked to trade safety for price.
The Geely EX2 and Leapmotor B05 also join a growing list of budget Chinese EVs that have already proven themselves on the safety front, including BYD’s Atto 1, currently Australia’s cheapest EV, and the MG 4 EV Urban, both of which earned five stars under the previous 2023–25 test protocols.
With more affordable EVs than ever landing in Australian showrooms, results like these give buyers a genuinely useful yardstick. A five-star rating under the new, harder-to-pass 2026 protocols carries real weight, and it’s a strong sign that the value end of the EV market isn’t cutting corners where it counts most.
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