Two electric cars priced under $40,000 have just been awarded five-star ANCAP safety ratings. The Leapmotor B05 and the Geely EX2 are only the second and third models ever assessed under ANCAP's tougher Stages of Safety criteria, which were introduced this year to keep pace with new vehicle technology.
The scores, side by side
The B05 scored 92 per cent for Crash Protection, 89 per cent for Post Crash, 77 per cent for Crash Avoidance and 66 per cent for Safe Driving.
The EX2 landed in a different order: 95 per cent for Post Crash, 86 per cent for Crash Protection, 79 per cent for Safe Driving and 72 per cent for Crash Avoidance.
ANCAP classes the B05 as a Small Car, on sale in Australia since August 2026. The EX2 is a Light Car, on sale here since July 2026, and ANCAP lists it in the under-$35,000 price bracket. Both ratings run until December 2034.
Where both cars fall short
Both share the same weak spot: low-speed manoeuvring. ANCAP found the B05 did not intervene when turning towards another vehicle or motorcycle at low speed, and the EX2 did not intervene when turning across the path of one, and neither reacts to pedal misapplication - the mistake where you press the accelerator instead of the brake.
Reversing is the other gap. ANCAP found the B05's ability to avoid a pedestrian when reversing was limited, while the EX2 was unable to detect a stationary pedestrian when reversing at all.
These 'start-from-stop' scenarios - reversing out of a driveway, pulling out at an intersection into the path of another road user - are new to ANCAP's criteria, and it says they remain areas for further development.
The emergency call feature isn't switched on yet
Both cars leave the factory with eCall hardware, which lets a car automatically tell emergency services where it has crashed and how bad it was. Neither has the function active.
Leapmotor and Geely have each committed to ANCAP to have eCall working in every B05 and EX2 by September 2027 - a commitment ANCAP required before it would award the points. ANCAP says existing and newly-purchased vehicles will gain access when it is switched on.
Why ANCAP is making a point of the price
These results show that choosing a more affordable electric vehicle doesn't have to mean compromising on safety.
That is ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg, who added that the B05 and EX2 are “among the first models assessed against our new criteria, setting a strong early standard for five-star safety.”
Her point for buyers is blunt: with more brands arriving, “safety is another area where manufacturers need to compete” - and newer, lesser-known brands can now deliver five stars at an affordable price.
Source: ANCAP media release “Affordable EVs show five-star safety is achievable”, 2 September 2026, plus the ANCAP safety rating pages for the Leapmotor B05 and Geely EX2.
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