The 2019 Audi e-tron SUV, the first fully-electric Audi model, has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's 2019 'Top Safety Pick+' award, the nonprofit's highest designation. A true mid-size luxury SUV built for everyday use, the e-tron is the first pure battery-electric vehicle to earn the 2019 distinction.
The battery pack is housed in a frame with an internal honeycomb structure separating battery cell modules specifically to help dissipate energy.
The 95kWh battery pack is also sandwiched between protective covers on both its top and bottom, with coolant running underneath the battery pack to help maintain optimal thermal efficiency.
Through the IIHS's evaluations, the e-tron body and structure exceled in safety performance, earning the top 'Good' rating in six areas of crashworthiness performance: Small front overlap collision evaluations on both the driver and passenger sides, moderate front overlap, side impact, roof strength and head restraints and seat performance.
The e-tron also earned a 'Good' rating with its standard Matrix Design LED head lights and 'Superior' with standard automatic emergency braking as part of Audi pre sense front. Using a front-mounted camera, the e-tron can help initiate braking at speeds of up to 83km/h for detected pedestrians and bicyclists and can bring a vehicle to a full stop when traveling at speeds under 40km/h.
Additionally, the e-tron comes with standard Audi pre sense basic, which can help prepare the vehicle for impact by partially closing the side windows and sunroof and pre-tensioning the front safety belts.
