Chery recently turned up the heat—literally— in an effort to prove battery safety, staging a dramatic live fire test in Malaysia as part of its first-ever Super Hybrid Battery Safety Challenge.
Held in Serdang and attended by over 100 media representatives and government officials, the event wasn’t just another technical showcase. Instead, it was a bold, transparent demonstration of how far the brand is willing to go to prove the resilience of its electrified powertrain technology.
At the centre of it all was the battery pack used in both the Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV and Chery Tiggo 8 PHEV—subjected to an intense fire exposure test designed to simulate extreme real-world conditions.
Battery Put to the Ultimate Test
Before the flames were lit, attendees were briefed by Chery’s battery expert, Zhang Wei Bo, providing technical insight into the engineering and safety architecture behind the system.
The test itself consisted of two phases: a preheating stage followed by direct flame exposure lasting 1 minute and 20 seconds.
Despite the punishing conditions, the result was clear—the battery remained structurally stable throughout the test. There were no signs of thermal runaway, no electrical failure, and no uncontrolled deformation.
In short, it passed.
More importantly, this wasn’t conducted behind closed doors. The entire process was done in an open environment, allowing observers to monitor the battery’s condition before, during, and after the test—reinforcing Chery’s push for transparency in safety validation.
Part of a Global Torture Test Programme
This Malaysian showcase is just one chapter in Chery’s wider global battery safety initiative, which has seen its electrified systems subjected to some of the harshest tests imaginable.
Across multiple markets, the company has pushed its battery technology to the limit:
- In China, it underwent head-on collision and rollover tests
- In Indonesia, the battery was submerged in seawater for over 53 hours
- In South Africa, it faced a 50 km/h offset frontal collision
- In Ecuador, it endured live-fire penetration using ammunition
- In the Middle East, it was exposed to extreme heat, seawater immersion, and desert burial
- In Mexico, scraping tests simulated underbody damage scenarios
Taken together, these tests aim to validate battery durability across a wide spectrum of real-world and extreme environmental conditions.
Safety Credentials Backed by ASEAN NCAP
Beyond the spectacle of fire testing, Chery also highlighted the strong safety credentials of its electrified models.
The Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV stands out in particular, having earned a 5-Star rating from ASEAN NCAP with an impressive score of 94.68 points.
Even more notably, it achieved perfect scores in both Adult Occupant Protection and Safety Assist—making it the only plug-in hybrid to secure a “double perfect score” under the programme.
Long-Term Ownership Confidence
Chery isn’t just focusing on safety during testing—it’s also addressing long-term ownership concerns.
In Malaysia, the brand offers a comprehensive battery warranty of up to 10 years or 200,000 km. This coverage extends beyond the battery pack to include the drive motor and vehicle control unit, positioning it as one of the more robust aftersales packages in the segment.
Raising the Bar for Hybrid Safety
With electrification gaining momentum in Malaysia, consumer concerns around battery safety remain a key barrier to adoption. By publicly demonstrating its technology under extreme conditions, Chery is clearly aiming to tackle that hesitation head-on.
The message is straightforward: safety isn’t just engineered—it’s proven.
