Here’s a statement that shouldn’t be controversial by now: Electric cars are less likely to catch fire than combustion-powered cars, but battery pack fires are fiercer and harder to actually stop than most combustion vehicle fires due to the heat and intensity of thermal runaway. It’s a modern problem we’re still trying to solve, so a company in China decided to employ the Patrick Starr solution of taking the thermal runaway and shoving it somewhere else. Rapidly, I may add.
The resulting video footage is dramatic, showing what appears to be a pyrotechnic solution that simply launches a smoking battery pack out to the side. The pack appears to travel more than the length of a the Chery iCar 03T, so let’s call it 10 to 20 feet. It’s some serious James Bond stuff, but also the sort of tech that could cause an international incident.
Depending on where you are, a lot of things can be within 10 to 20 feet of a vehicle. Imagine driving up to an international border, stopping at the checkpoint, and having your battery pack decide to launch itself into the guard booth next to your vehicle. Everyone on Twitter will think you’re a terrorist, but you’re just the victim of an unfortunately-timed battery pack fire and questionably implemented projectile technology. Or, imagine the headlines if a battery pack ejects at the wrong moment in traffic. “421 Dead After Battery Pack Hits Clown Car”. Sorry kids/in-laws/neurodivergent partner with a PT Barnum special interest/pet elephant looking for its long-lost relatives, no circus tonight.
It’s worth noting that several vehicles have notable safety-focused implementations of pyrotechnics. The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has exploding bolts for its gullwing door hinges because being trapped in an upside-down vehicle is bad. The Lexus LC 500 and certain Jaguar F-Types have pyrotechnic rams that shove their hoods upward on impact for pedestrian safety. Many modern cars have pyro fuses that rapidly disconnect power in the event of a collision, but guess what all of these things have in common? That’s right, they aren’t firing a rhino’s worth of batteries towards unsuspecting bystanders.
So, whose idea is this battery pack launcher, anyway? While the technology was shown off at an event called the “Power Battery Launch Technology Demonstration and Exchange Meeting” and the banner on the side of the vehicle suggests involvement by the China Automobile Collision Repair Technology Research Center, thing are a little murky now that once-said to be involved party Joyson appears to have denounced the technology. As the Epoch Times reports:
Joyson Electronics responded to mainland media yesterday, saying that they do not have any form of cooperative development agreement with the “China Collision Repair Technology Research Center”.
It is reported that the China Automobile Collision Repair Technology Research Center belongs to the Matt Group, which owns independent brands such as Welion, BANTAM, and MAXIMA.
Regardless of who’s responsible, this battery pack launcher falls along the lines of “cool, now never do that again.” An automotive battery pack is a huge thing to have as a projectile, and turning a battery pack fire into a problem for whoever’s next to you is just plain inconsiderate. If you were ever a dumb teenager trying to start a barbecue with way too much lighter fluid, your first thought after “Oh my god, my eyebrows” probably wasn’t to chuck the whole thing onto the neighbor’s lawn, yeah?
[Editor’s Note: I think everybody is missing the real, less obvious application here: ultra-fast and exciting battery swaps! Imagine pulling into a battery swap station as your battery blasts out one side, and a new battery blasts into the other! Then an attendant yanks your door open and smacks you, hard, just to keep the vibe going! This could be the future! – JT]
Top graphic image: China Automobile Collision Repair Technology Research Center
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Slartibartfast would call this making the battery an SEP.
Somebody else’s problem, for those of you who aren’t familiar with The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy series.
This would make the Formula E pit stops more exciting.
I imagine some unsupervised engineers thought “lets see what happens if” and then we ended up here. Its freaking hilarious, and a TERRIBLE idea, all at the same time.
“see, the problem is that people can get trapped in the burning car and die”
Engineer A “what if we just made door handles that worked?”
Supervisor “hmmmm, ok, interesting. Anyone else? No such thing as a bad idea”
Engineer B “what if we yeeted the battery pack 15 feet from the car if it catches fire”
Supervisor “…..brilliant”
Single-use Molotov battery! It will disable your getaway vehicle, of course, but everyone will be too busy trying to get away from the pallet of fire coming at then to pay attention to you. Perfect for wanna-be arsonists!
I just giggled a little bit at “pallet of fire”.
The battery launches out and underneath the EV next to it, which then catches fire, causing the battery to eject out of the side, which slides underneath the EV……..
The mistake you’re making is assuming this is intended as a safety feature. I like to think they’re actually trying to usher us into a glorious Mario Kart future.
Hang on, the Epoch Times? Not sure I’d trust anything from that publication.
Can I interest you in tickets to Shen Yun?
As I told the last hawker who asked me that, I’m not interested in supporting your cult.
If they could launch it while spraying some kind of foam in the battery and fm-200 or something like it. I could see it but you are just launching a very heavy flaming brick out of the side. It’s seems like in China of all markets with lots of traffic this is an especially terirble idea.
How do you say “hold my beer” in Chinese?
Why not drop it on the ground, and then a fire suppressor is activated over top the battery?
Most fires suppressants work by eliminating oxygen, which, ahem… may not be something you’d want inadvertently (or even intentionally) released into the cab.
I meant once it drops, the suppressor would be activated, but I guess you are correct, it would be possible to activate by fault (if it possible, it will happen) and then a group would be asphyxiated. Back to the drawing board.
The designer, Q, would like you to return the batteries in one piece this time
I’m all for this, but I’d eject sections of the battery at a time, so you can still take off after disabling the idiot that tried to change into your lane.
Seems like a logical inclusion for the next James Bond car. I hope Q is reading this.
Imagine you’re just living your best life, taking a walk around the block, and suddenly (without much warning), you’re sent to a career change of pirate with peg legs?
This is… not a great idea.
Maybe to launch a battery pack out of a commercial airliner that is having thermal issues over the ocean or a less populated area?
But thermal runaway prediction/prevention is getting better and better, especially due to advanced AI/ML models. I’ve seen problematic batteries get flagged for removal after AI/ML modeled software sees trends of lithium plating, and the thermal event did occur about a month afterward removing the battery from the vehicle.
This is all through software only, and can even be applied to old packs in the field.
Regardless of what the headlines say, it is getting better every day.
But with this battery launching technology, all the old packs will already be in a field, or a park, or a river, or an elementary school…
hahaha good point.
Pedestrian wounded, driver charged with battery
Dammit, take my like.
Make your problem everyone else’s problem. Probably invented by the same guy who invented the leaf blower, after spending a week pounding Four Locos and watching UFC.
If you’re not part of the solution, there’s good money to be made in prolonging the problem.
I also really don’t understand what this hopes to accomplish? Save the car should a pack ignite? Ok cool, well to do that you have to practically shoot the pack out of the car like a mortar, which will cut battery cables, leave a hole in the body of the car, and leave residues from the accelerant and possible fire. All of that while having a less well integrated battery, the *numerous* liability concerns, cost to implement and more! China truly is leading the way in EV Tech!
They are better at stealing technology than creating it.
If only the car yelled out “HAMOND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” every time it ejected the battery
“As the Epoch Times reports”
If that’s the source, I now doubt the existence of Chinese electric cars.
Now do that for ICE fires! Maybe shoot the offending 4cyl straight up into the air.
Isn’t there already a simple system for VW Beetles which just automatically releases fire suppressant?
(Though a Beetle which spontaneously ejects its engine would be kinda cool.)
Ejecto charge-o, cuz!