Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd (CATL), one of the global leaders in battery manufacturing, has unveiled its groundbreaking new chassis for electric vehicles, known as Bedrock. This chassis aims redefining safety standards and design in the electric car sector, thanks to a series of innovative features that have captured the attention of both experts and manufacturers.
CATL's Bedrock Chassis has been designed to withstand frontal collisions at speeds of up to 120 km/h, without the batteries suffering fires or explosions. This fact sets a new standard for extreme safety tests, guaranteeing unprecedented protection in high-energy impact situations. But its arrival on the market will still have to wait as the company wants to finalize its development and technology…
The CATL Bedrock Chassis design prioritizes safety…
One of the particularities of this platform is its Three-dimensional biomimetic structure inspired by a turtle shell, which allows for effective distribution of collision forces. It also makes use of a combination of cutting-edge materials, such as hot-formed submarine steel with a strength of 2000 MPa and aerospace aluminum with a resistance of 600 MPa. These materials not only give a exceptional rigidity, but also improve the ability to absorb energy during an impact.
The CATL Bedrock Chassis also stands out for its direct integration of the battery cells into the chassis using Cell-to-Chassis (CTC) technology. This design allows the chassis to absorb up to 85% of the energy generated in a collision compared to 60% that conventional chassis can absorb. This is particularly relevant in tests frontal crash that simulate impacts with objects such as electric poles, trees or even animals.
Technological advances that guarantee extreme security
Another point to highlight is the ability of the chassis to disconnect the high voltage circuit from the battery in just 0,01 seconds after impact, proceeding to the complete discharge of the residual energy in 0,2 seconds. This advance minimizes the Fire and explosion hazards associated with collisions, marking a significant milestone in electric vehicle safety.
In addition, the battery system has successfully passed rigorous resistance testsas the high velocity pole impacts, 90-degree bending tests and shear tests. In all of them, the batteries proved to be highly resistant, without catching fire or exploding, even under extreme conditions.
Reduced development times and modular design
CATL's Bedrock chassis design not only prioritizes safety, but also provides practical solutions for car manufacturers. This chassis features a modular approach which allows the chassis structure to be decoupled from the upper body, facilitating its adaptation to multiple types of vehicles. Thanks to this feature, Development and research times have been significantly reduced, going from the traditional 36 months to between 12 and 18 months.
The versatile design of the CATL Bedrock Chassis is also compatible with the advanced autonomous driving systems, integrating technologies that support L3 and L4 autonomy levels. In addition, it also includes standardized interfaces that allow flexible configurations and tailor-made adaptations according to the type of vehicle or the specific requirements of the manufacturer.
Next steps and collaborations with other manufacturers…
Chinese manufacturer Avatar will be the first to incorporate the Bedrock Chassis in a mass-production vehicle, marking a milestone for the automotive sector. Although a specific date for its debut has not yet been announced, this collaboration is a clear indication of the commitment of both companies to improve the safety and efficiency in the electric vehicle sector.
CATL has also announced its intention to continue working with other partners to develop a safe and efficient ecosystem for batteries and electric vehicles. Such a collaborative approach could accelerate the transition to a safer, more sustainable and technologically advanced transport.
As the electric vehicle industry evolves, CATL's Bedrock Chassis sets the benchmark in terms of Safety, innovation and efficiencyWith it, the company not only sets new standards for chassis design, but also opens the doors to a new era of ultra-safe transport.
Source - Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL)
Images | Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL)