First Chery Battery Safety Challenge in Malaysia puts PHEV battery in extreme heat

Chery Malaysia has conducted the first Chery Super Hybrid Battery Safety Challenge in Malaysia, demonstrating Chery’s commitment to battery safety through real-world testing. The battery used in both the Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV and the Tiggo 8 PHEV was subjected to a high-temperature fire test consisting of a preheating phase followed by 80 seconds of direct flame exposure.

Throughout the 80-second test, the battery remained stable while suspended from a crane above a fire pit ignited with petrol. The flames reached temperatures of up to 1,000°C—high enough to cause third-degree burns at distances closer than five metres.

Upon closer inspection after the test, the battery pack showed external burn damage, with connectors and ports melted and rendered unusable. However, the battery pack itself remained intact, with no signs of leakage. Additionally, the unit tested was new and fully charged, according to Chery Malaysia.

Chery has previously conducted a wide range of rigorous safety tests around the world to ensure battery durability under extreme conditions. In Indonesia, the battery pack was submerged in seawater for 53 hours to evaluate its resistance to corrosion and its ability to maintain electrical isolation in highly humid, saline environments.

In Ecuador, the battery underwent a multi-angle live-fire test, during which it was struck by six rounds of ammunition, demonstrating its structural strength under extreme and unconventional stress. Meanwhile, in the Middle East, testing included 48 hours of burial beneath Kuwait’s intense desert sand, highlighting performance under prolonged heat, humidity, and environmental pressure. Additionally, in Mexico, Chery carried out a battery scraping test to assess resistance to abrasion and potential underbody damage.