Safety has always been a major point of concern when it comes to the automobile. It isn’t always bout speed and power as we are led to believe, but rather safety in knowing our loved ones are always kept out of harm’s way.
Chinese battery producer, BYD, is thinking along similar lines and is evident by the announcement of the Blade battery pack. Wang Chuanfu, BYD Chairman and President, said that the Blade Battery reflects BYD’s determination to resolve issues in battery safety while also redefining safety standards for the entire industry.
The Blade was developed by the Chinese firm over several years and is now said to be 50 percent more space efficient than current battery packs, thanks to its well-planned design. However, BYD has put the Blade through the crucible of testing in order to produce one of the safest packs in the market.
First up on their torture plan was a nail test. Yes, they punctured the battery pack with nails. Now, under similar conditions, a ternary lithium battery would’ve exceeded 500 degrees Celsius and start burning violently.
Further, the conventional lithium iron phosphate block battery they tested as well did not burst into flames, but its surface temperature was between 200 and 400 degrees Celsius. The Blade on the other hand, is claimed to have emitted no smoke, or fire after being punctured, and its surface temperature only ranged between 30 to 60 degrees Celsius.
Other extreme forms of torture the Blade was subjected to came in the form of crushing, bending, and heat testing the pack in a 300-degree Celsius furnace. Moreover, the battery pack was also overcharged by 260 percent. The pack did not catch fire nor explode in any of those tests.
He Long, Vice President of BYD and Chairman of FinDreams Battery Co., Ltd., covered four distinct advantages of the Blade Battery including a high starting temperature for exothermic reactions, slow heat release and low heat generation, as well as its ability to not release oxygen during breakdowns or easily catch fire.
“In the past few years, many EV manufacturers have fallen into a competition for ever-greater cruising range. When the range becomes the prime factor to consider, this focus is then transferred to power battery makers, leading to unreasonable pursuits of “energy density” in the battery industry. It is due to this unpractical focus on “energy density” that safety has been sidelined from power battery development” said BYD in an official statement.
The Han EV, BYD’s flagship sedan model slated for launch this June, will come equipped with the Blade Battery. The new model will lead the brand’s Dynasty Family, boasting a cruising range of 605km and accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds, said the Chinese brand.
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