Ford’s hoping buyers searching for an eco-friendly, safe vehicle will look no further than its new 2013 Ford Focus Electric. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has just given the focal point Electric a five-star overall vehicle score in its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) safety testing.

The five-star NCAP rating for the 2013 Focus Electric is calculated by combining the Focus’ performance in front and side-impact crash tests, in addition to measuring its resistance to rollover. The electrical Focus earned five stars in all three of these tests, thus the five-star NCAP rating.

Though the conventionally powered Focus is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick, the focal point Electric actually outperforms it in NHTSA NCAP testing. While the main focus matches the EV version in side-impact testing and within the overall score, it only earned four stars from the NHTSA in front impact, and rollover resistance tests. The main target Electric has yet to be tested by the IIHS.

The Focus Electric may be safer than the regular Focus inside the NHTSA’s eyes, however the gas-powered Focus still has one major advantage over the main target Electric – an EPA-estimated 346 mile range that easily beat’s the main focus Electric’s 76 mile range.

Source: Ford