This new CATL Bedrock Chassis can withstand impacts up to 120km/h without exploding
As with almost any vehicle, an impact could result in a huge disaster as the components in a car can either explode or catch fire, especially in high speed accidents. Well, CATL seems to have figured out a solution. Enter its Bedrock Chassis which can supposedly handle impacts up to 120km/h without exploding or catching fire and is made from submarine grade steel.
One of the most notable features of the Bedrock Chassis is its battery-centered design, utilizing Cell-to-Chassis integration technology. This innovation directly integrates battery cells into the chassis, creating a shared structural design that enhances both safety and performance.
Moreover, the decoupling of the chassis from the vehicle’s outer shell enables the Bedrock Chassis to absorb up to 85 percent of the collision energy, significantly higher than the 60 percent absorption rate of traditional chassis.
CATL’s Bedrock Chassis has successfully passed the world’s first “highest speed + strongest impact” dual extreme safety test, proving its ability to endure a 120 km/h frontal central pole impact without any risk of fire, explosion, or thermal runaway.
This test also redefines the industry benchmark for crash safety, as the C-NCAP currently tests frontal impact safety at 56km/h, which simulates the collision energy equivalent to falling from a 12-meter-high building. In contrast, a 120km/h impact simulates a fall from 56 meters, generating 4.6 times the collision energy of a standard test.
On top of that, the Bedrock Chassis also excels in frontal pole crash tests, where the impact area is only a fraction of a full-width frontal impact, drastically increasing the pressure on the chassis. At 120km/h, the impact pressure per unit area is 21 times that of the standard 56km/h full-width crash tests.
Further innovations in the Bedrock Chassis include its biomimetic tortoise shell structure, providing indestructible protection for the battery cells. The chassis also integrates aircraft carrier-grade arresting structures to disperse impact forces, minimizing damage to the cabin during crashes.
CATL’s ultra-safe battery design incorporates NP technology and a high-ductility energy-absorbing insulation film, ensuring rapid high-voltage disconnection within 0.01 seconds and discharging residual energy within 0.2 seconds. These cells have undergone rigorous testing, including high-speed sled impact tests, 90-degree bending and breakthrough sawing tests.
At the launch, AVATR, the first automaker to adopt the Bedrock Chassis, and CAIT-SH, CATL’s skateboard chassis arm, announced a partnership to enhance safety and quality in EV travel. As CATL continues to innovate, it aims to lead the way in developing a safe ecosystem for EV batteries and vehicles, ensuring the safety of all users.
