Safest Electric SUVs in India (2026)

The Tata Harrier EV and Mahindra XEV 9e are the safest electric SUVs in India, both scoring a perfect 32 out of 32 for adult protection and 45 out of 49 for children at Bharat NCAP. The Maruti Suzuki e Vitara follows on 31.49 and is the only SUV here with seven airbags on every variant, including a driver knee airbag, below Rs 20 lakh. The VinFast VF7 has the strongest child score of all at 45.25 out of 49, and the Tata Punch EV brings a 45 out of 49 child result down to Rs 9.79 lakh.

All nine hold 5-star Bharat NCAP ratings for both adults and children, and all nine ratings cover every variant in their range. That last point matters more than it sounds. In much of the petrol market, ratings often exclude whole fuel families. Here, they don't.

Key takeaways

• The Harrier EV and XEV 9e tie at the top with perfect adult scores. The VF7 leads on child protection at 45.25 out of 49.
• The e Vitara, VF7 and VF6 fit seven airbags to every variant. The rest start at six, with the Harrier EV and XEV 9e adding a seventh on upper trims.
• Crash ratings here apply across each model's full variant list, but driver assistance does not. On most of these SUVs the assistance suite needs a higher trim, so the safest version of any model is usually its top one.
• The Punch EV is the only SUV here with no driver assistance at any price.

How Bharat NCAP scores an electric SUV

Bharat NCAP marks adult occupant protection out of 32 and child occupant protection out of 49, awarding stars for each separately. A 5-star result needs at least 27 points for adults and 41 for children. Electric cars are also checked after the crash for electrical isolation and battery integrity.

Two things the stars don't tell you: whether the rating covers your variant (Bharat NCAP publishes a separate applicability list for that), and what active safety kit that variant actually carries.

Safety ratings and features compared

Model	Price range (ex-showroom)	Bharat NCAP (adult / child)	Airbags	Driver assistance
Tata Harrier EV	Rs 21.79 lakh to Rs 30.04 lakh	32/32, 45/49	6, 7 from Fearless+ 65	Level 2, Empowered 75 up
Mahindra XEV 9e	Rs 21.90 lakh to Rs 30.50 lakh	32/32, 45/49	6, 7 from Pack Three Select	Level 2, Pack Two up
Mahindra BE 6	Rs 18.90 lakh to Rs 26.90 lakh	31.97/32, 45/49	6, 7 from Pack Three Select	Level 2, Pack Two up
Maruti Suzuki e Vitara	Rs 16.19 lakh to Rs 20.21 lakh	31.49/32, 43/49	7 on every variant	Level 2, Alpha
Tata Punch EV	Rs 9.79 lakh to Rs 12.99 lakh	31.09/32, 45/49	6	Not offered
Tata Curvv EV	Rs 17.19 lakh to Rs 19.69 lakh	30.81/32, 44.83/49	6	Level 2, Empowered X
Tata Nexon EV	Rs 12.49 lakh to Rs 17.89 lakh	29.86/32, 44.95/49	6	Level 2, Empowered+ A 45
VinFast VF7	Rs 22.99 lakh to Rs 28.09 lakh	28.54/32, 45.25/49	7 on every variant	Level 2, Wind up
VinFast VF6	Rs 18.19 lakh to Rs 20.09 lakh	27.13/32, 44.41/49	7 on every variant	Level 2, Wind up
Prices are ex-showroom Delhi, checked on 12 October 2026, and vary by city. Confirm with your dealer.

The nine safest electric SUVs

1. Tata Harrier EV

A perfect 32 out of 32 for adults and 45 out of 49 for children, tested on the Empowered 75. Six airbags are standard, with a seventh knee airbag from the Fearless+ 65 up.

The Level 2 suite on the Empowered 75 and above covers adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane centering and lane keep assist, autonomous emergency braking for cars, pedestrians and cyclists, blind spot detection with lane change alert, rear cross traffic alert and intelligent speed assist. Every variant gets stability control with after-impact braking, tyre pressure monitoring, disc brakes at all four wheels and an electronic parking brake with auto hold.

2. Mahindra XEV 9e

The same perfect pair of scores. Six airbags on Pack One and Pack Two, seven with a driver knee airbag on Pack Three Select and Pack Three.

Assistance starts earlier here than on most of this list. Adaptive cruise control, lane centering, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist and traffic sign recognition arrive from Pack Two, with blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, highway assist and emergency lane keep assist on Pack Three. Stability control, tyre pressure monitoring, ISOFIX, an electronic parking brake and driver drowsiness detection are standard throughout.

3. Mahindra BE 6

Mechanically the XEV 9e's twin and three hundredths of a point behind it, at 31.97 out of 32 for adults and 45 out of 49 for children. Bharat NCAP's applicability list covers all four variants, One B59 through Three B79.

Six airbags on the lower packs, seven with a driver knee airbag on Pack Three Select and Pack Three. Level 2 assistance starts from Pack Two, running on five radars and a camera in its fullest form. Standard kit includes a 360-degree camera with blind view monitor, auto park assist, driver drowsiness detection, stability control, an electronic parking brake, tyre pressure monitoring and disc brakes at all four wheels.

The 59 kWh pack pairs with a 170 kW motor and the 79 kWh with 210 kW, both making 380 Nm, for a claimed 556 km and 683 km. A 20 to 80 percent DC charge takes about 20 minutes. Prices run from Rs 18.90 lakh to Rs 26.90 lakh.

4. Maruti Suzuki e Vitara

Maruti's first electric SUV, and the most complete passive safety package here for the money. Seven airbags including a driver knee airbag are fitted to the entry Delta as well as the Zeta and Alpha, which is unusual at this price. Its Bharat NCAP rating of 31.49 for adults and 43 for children covers all three variants, the 49 kWh Delta and the 61 kWh Zeta and Alpha alike.

Standard across the range: stability control with hill hold, ABS with EBD and brake assist, disc brakes at all four wheels, tyre pressure monitoring, multi-collision braking, an SOS emergency call button, an electronic parking brake with brake hold, ISOFIX and parking sensors at both ends.

Level 2 assistance is limited to the Alpha and brings autonomous emergency braking with forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist with departure warning and prevention, blind spot monitoring, vehicle sway warning and an adaptive high beam system. The 360-degree camera is also Alpha only.

5. Tata Punch EV

The cheapest 5-star electric SUV on sale, and its 45 out of 49 child score matches SUVs costing three times as much. Six airbags are standard, along with stability control, ABS with EBD, hill hold, tyre pressure monitoring, SOS calling and ISOFIX.

The catch is that it relies entirely on passive safety. There is no adaptive cruise control, no lane keeping and no emergency braking at any price. A 360-degree camera with blind spot view monitor appears on the Empowered 40 and Empowered+ S 40.

6. Tata Curvv EV

The most generous standard safety hardware under Rs 20 lakh. Every variant gets a 360-degree camera, blind spot view monitor, driver doze-off alert, stability control, tyre pressure monitoring, disc brakes all round and an electronic parking brake with auto hold. That's a longer standard list than anything else here.

Six airbags across the range. The Level 2 suite on the Empowered X trims covers adaptive cruise with stop and go, autonomous emergency braking for vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and junctions, lane keep assist and departure warning, radar blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, high beam assist and traffic sign recognition.

7. Tata Nexon EV

The most affordable route to lane centering and emergency braking among these SUVs. Six airbags are standard and the rating covers both the Long Range and Medium Range families.

Assistance is reserved for the Empowered+ A 45 and its dark editions, bringing lane centering and lane keep assist, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, driver drowsiness detection, high beam assist and traffic sign recognition. Tyre pressure monitoring, an electronic parking brake and all-wheel disc brakes come with the 45 kWh variants.

8. VinFast VF7

The best child protection score on this list at 45.25 out of 49, with seven airbags on every variant: front pair, driver knee, front side and curtains covering both rows. The rating covers all five variants from Earth to Sky Infinity.

Blind spot detection, stability control with roll-over mitigation, direct tyre pressure monitoring, a 360-degree camera, an electronic parking brake with auto hold and disc brakes all round are standard. From the Wind up, Level 2 adds adaptive cruise control, lane centering, lane keeping and emergency lane keeping, auto lane change assist, front and rear autonomous emergency braking, rear cross traffic alert, automatic high beam and a camera-based driver distraction warning.

9. VinFast VF6

Seven airbags and a 360-degree camera on every variant for around Rs 20 lakh, with Level 2 assistance on the Wind and Wind Infinity. The rating covers all three variants.

Its adult score of 27.13 is the lowest here, sitting just above the 27-point threshold for five stars. That's worth keeping in mind against the generous equipment list. Child protection at 44.41 is mid-pack. Blind spot detection, stability control, direct tyre pressure monitoring, all-disc brakes and ISOFIX are standard.

Which one to buy

Rank the three things in the order that matches your driving. If you carry children regularly, weight the child score: the VF7, Harrier EV, XEV 9e and Punch EV all sit at 45 or above. If you want the most protection as standard rather than as an upgrade, the e Vitara, VF7 and VF6 give you seven airbags on the entry variant. If you drive long highway stretches, the assistance suite matters more than a fraction of a crash point, and the XEV 9e offers it from the second pack up rather than reserving it for the top.

Don't buy on the star count alone. Every SUV here has five stars, and the spread between the best and worst adult score is nearly five points.

FAQs

Which is the safest electric SUV in India?

The Tata Harrier EV and Mahindra XEV 9e, which both score a perfect 32 out of 32 for adult protection and 45 out of 49 for children. The Maruti Suzuki e Vitara is next on 31.49 and offers the most complete standard airbag package, with seven on every variant.

Which is the safest electric SUV under Rs 20 lakh?

The Maruti Suzuki e Vitara on crash score, at 31.49 out of 32, with seven airbags standard. The Tata Curvv EV and VinFast VF6 also hold 5-star ratings with Level 2 assistance below Rs 20 lakh, and the VF6 matches the e Vitara on airbag count.

Does the Maruti Suzuki e Vitara have a 5-star safety rating?

Yes, with 31.49 out of 32 for adults and 43 out of 49 for children. Bharat NCAP's applicability list covers all three variants, the 49 kWh Delta and the 61 kWh Zeta and Alpha.

Which electric SUV is best for families?

On child protection the VinFast VF7 leads at 45.25 out of 49, with the Harrier EV, XEV 9e and Punch EV just behind at 45. The Punch EV is the one to look at on a tighter budget, though it offers no driver assistance.

Do all variants of a 5-star electric SUV have the same safety?

The crash rating applies across every variant of all nine SUVs here, which is not true of much of the petrol market. Airbag counts, driver assistance and cameras still vary by trim, so check the exact variant.

How many airbags should an electric SUV have?

Six covering front, side and curtain positions is the sensible floor, and all nine here meet it. A seventh knee airbag protects the driver's legs in a frontal impact, and the e Vitara, VF7 and VF6 fit one to every variant.