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2017 Chevy Bolt EV earns Top Safety Pick rating by IIHS

Independent testers from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV a Top Safety Pick award on Tuesday, a result that included the highest score of "Good" on all crash tests and a "Superior" score for front crash prevention.

The agency noted that the Bolt EV was the first all-electric vehicle to earn the pick for 2017.

The Chevy Bolt EV missed out on a Top Safety Pick+ award because of a "Poor" rating for its standard headlights, which testers noted provided fair to good visibility, but produced excessive glare for oncoming drivers. Chevrolet does not offer optional, upgraded headlights for the Bolt EV.

MORE: Here's when the Chevrolet Bolt EV goes on sale in your state

Among small cars, the Bolt EV joins 11 other nameplates as Top Safety Picks, including the 2017 Chevrolet Volt. Among those 11 nameplates are eight Top Safety Pick+ cars.

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To achieve the Top Safety Pick rating, the Bolt EV needs Chevrolet's Driver Confidence 2 package that adds $980 to the Premier trim's starting price of $41,780. A fully equipped Bolt EV costs $42,760. The Bolt EV qualifies for federal tax incentives and some state incentives, where applicable.

Federal testers from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration haven't yet crash-tested the car.