(Bloomberg) — General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Volt passed the U.S. insurance industry's toughest frontal crash test, while Nissan Motor Co.'s battery-electric Leaf couldn't make the grade.

GM's Volt, a plug-in electric hybrid that gets an energy-equivalent of 98 miles per gallon when running in battery mode, earned a mark of "acceptable," the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said today. The Leaf was rated "poor."

This is the first time the Arlington, Virginia-based safety group rated electric cars on how well they protect drivers and passengers in simulated crashes. The IIHS tests on gas-powered vehicles have been influencing consumer purchases and getting auto manufacturers to improve safety since 1995.

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