China’s wild EV fire-safety test shows battery ejected at rocket speed

China has demonstrated a novel electric vehicle (EV) fire-safety technology that ejects the entire battery pack from the car at high speed during emergencies to prevent onboard fires or explosions. In a viral video from a controlled test, sensors detected thermal runaway in the battery, triggering a mechanism that launched the battery 3 to 6 meters away into a padded safety zone, where fire crews quickly contained the ensuing smoke and flames. The system aims to protect passengers by physically removing the fire hazard from the vehicle cabin, acting somewhat like an airbag deployment for battery fires. However, the concept has drawn significant criticism and safety concerns. Critics argue that in real-world traffic, an ejected battery—often weighing several hundred pounds—could become a dangerous projectile, potentially harming pedestrians, other vehicles, or causing additional accidents. Questions were also raised about the system’s reliability during severe crashes where vehicle deformation might prevent battery ejection, leaving occupants exposed to fire risks. The test was reportedly organized by the China Automotive Collision Repair