Chery’s PHEV battery just survived 80 seconds of full-on roasting without any drama at all.
While some may still be skeptical about electrified vehicles and the typically over-exaggerated risk of their batteries turning into an impromptu bonfire, Chery Malaysia has decided to put all that hoo-hah to rest once and for all. Such is as the Chinese automaker recently staged its first-ever public battery torture test right here, by literally dumping one of its PHEV batteries into a roaring fire.
Dubbed the “Super Hybrid Battery Safety Challenge”, a PHEV battery pack used in both the Chery Tiggo 7 and 8 PHEV was first preheated, before being lowered over a roaring fire and subjected to direct flame exposure for a rather nerve-wracking 1 minute and 20 seconds.
And seeing as this is being written about over here, it should come as no surprise that the battery remained stable throughout the entire ordeal. The casing itself came away slightly singed, but there was no fire escalation, no sudden electrical failure, and more importantly, no dramatic swelling or structural collapse. A bit of an anticlimax perhaps, but a reassuring one nonetheless.
Chery Malaysia claims its PHEV battery is able to withstand such punishment thanks to a heat-resistant construction that, even in the event of ignition, prevents fires from propagating, while being capable of handling temperatures of up to 95 degrees Celsius. It also incorporates a high-strength crossmember, designed to better shield the battery in the event of an accident.
Beyond just structural protection, the hybrid system is constantly monitoring for signs of thermal runaway. Should any anomaly be detected, a pyrotechnic safety switch (PSS) will disconnect the battery in as little as two milliseconds. The idea here is to contain any incident as early as possible, slowing the spread of fire and ultimately giving occupants more time to exit the vehicle safely.
Incidentally, this rather fiery Malaysian showcase is just one chapter in a much larger global testing and demonstration programme for Chery’s PHEV batteries. In Indonesia, the brand submerged its battery packs in seawater for over two days, while in South Africa and Mexico, impact and underbody damage scenarios were carried out to replicate real-world abuse. Over in Ecuador, battery packs were even shot at, while in the Middle East, they were baked under desert heat and soaked in high-temperature seawater, all in the name of proving durability under extreme and unconventional condition.
Worth noting too that despite a few early safety-related hiccups locally, Chery has nevertheless been stepping up its game in recent times. The Tiggo 7 PHEV for instance has already secured a 5-star rating from ASEAN NCAP, complete with a record-setting score of 94.68 points and perfect marks in both Adult Occupant Protection and Safety Assist.
As it stands, the brand currently offers three plug-in hybrid models locally, namely the Tiggo Cross, Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8, signalling what is shaping up to be a fairly comprehensive electrified push. All Chery PHEVs in Malaysia come with a battery warranty of up to 10 years or 200,000 km, covering not just the battery pack, but also the drive motor and vehicle control unit.
