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Revolution in electromobility: “armored” chassis resistant to crashes and bending

Chinese battery giant CATL has unveiled an innovative platform for electric vehicles called Bedrock. This solution is poised to revolutionize the electromobility market thanks to its unparalleled level of safety, impressive range and flexibility that allows it to be used in a wide range of vehicles.  

“Armored” chassis for maximum safety  

Passenger safety was a priority in the design of the Bedrock platform. The design is based on the highest-strength materials, such as hot-formed steel used in submarine construction and aircraft-grade aluminum. These advanced materials can withstand 2,000 MPa and 600 MPa loads, respectively, to effectively absorb crash energy and protect key components such as batteries.  

CATL stresses that Bedrock can survive head-on collisions at speeds as high as 120 km/h, equivalent to a fall from a height of 56 meters. The platform’s design is compared to a turtle’s shell – its multi-layered structure effectively dissipates impact energy. What’s more, the skateboard chassis also performs well in more difficult conditions, such as hitting poles or trees, where the force of the impact is concentrated on a smaller area.  

Source: www.facebook.com/CATLOfficial 

Innovative batteries to withstand extreme conditions  

Bedrock is also distinguished by the new design of its battery cells, which have been equipped with a highly malleable insulating film. As a result, the cells are able to survive extreme tests – from a 60-mph collision to 90-degree bending to sawing.  

In addition, the safety system allows the high-voltage circuit to be instantly cut off within 0.1 seconds of impact and quickly discharges energy in just 0.2 seconds. These innovations eliminate the risk of fire or battery explosion, which has been one of the main problems with electric vehicles.  

Impressive range and new possibilities for EVs 

Safety is not the only thing that sets the Bedrock platform apart. Vehicles with a new CATL skateboard chassis are expected to achieve ranges in excess of 1,000 kilometers on a single charge. This is a parameter that will significantly increase the competitiveness of electric cars against their combustion counterparts.   

At the same time, Bedrock introduces new standards for vehicle design. The platform’s scalability makes it possible to reduce the development time for new models from the current 36 months to as little as 12 months. The flexibility of the design allows it to adapt to different types of cars – from compact city vehicles to large SUVs.   

Debut with Avatr brand and global expansion plans  

The first vehicles based on the Bedrock platform will be created by Chinese brand Avatr in partnership with CATL and Huawei. Avatr is a part of the Changan Automobile conglomerate, specializing in smart electric cars. The brand’s first models hit the market in 2022, with more launches planned in the coming years.  

CATL sees huge potential in the Bedrock platform. It estimates that it could open up a smart car platform market worth about one trillion yuan (131 billion euros). Although the first cars will be available in China, the company has already announced expansion into other markets, including the Middle East, Asia and Europe.  

 A revolution in electromobility  

Can electromobility not only be greener, but also safer and more technologically advanced? With such solutions, CATL is consolidating its leadership in the industry, setting new standards for the future of motoring. 

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