Tesla's Model 3 just earned another big safety award (TSLA)

That makes the Model 3 the second electric vehicle to receive the IIHS' highest safety rating, after the Audi e-tron SUV.
The Model 3, released in 2017, has also earned the highest safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), along with Tesla 's prior two vehicles, the Model S sedan and Model X SUV .
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Tesla's Model 3 sedan has received the "top safety pick plus" designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the nonprofit organization announced on Thursday.

That makes the Model 3 the second electric vehicle to receive the IIHS' highest safety rating, after the Audi e-tron SUV.

To earn a "top safety pick plus," rating, a vehicle must perform well in a variety of crash tests. The vehicle must receive a "good" rating in tests related to its front, side, roof, and head restraints, an "advanced" or "superior" rating for front crash prevention and a "good" rating for its headlights.

"Vehicles with alternative powertrains have come into their own," IIHS chief research officer David Zuby said in a press release . "There's no need to trade away safety for a lower carbon footprint when choosing a vehicle."

The Model 3, released in 2017, has also earned the highest safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), along with Tesla's prior two vehicles, the Model S sedan and Model X SUV . But NHTSA and Tesla have butted heads over the electric-car maker's claim that the Model 3 is the safest car the agency has tested. Last October, NHTSA sent Tesla a cease-and-desist letter telling it to stop making that claim.

Are you a current or former Tesla employee? Do you have an opinion about what it's like to work there? Contact this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com .