Cars going up in flames make for dramatic headlines. But the truth is, electric vehicles don’t catch fire more often than their gas-guzzling counterparts. Experts say they’re just as safe.
China’s Electric Vehicle Safety Push
The Chinese market is leading the charge in electric vehicles. To prove their batteries are the safest, companies are putting them to extreme tests. Like driving a 36-ton tank over them.
The Geely Galaxy E5’s battery, called Aegis Gold Brick, passed with flying colors. It withstood 1.8 times the pressure required by China’s new national safety standards for batteries. No fires, explosions, or thermal runaway occurred.
New Safety Standards
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced new safety standards, GB38031-2025, which will come into effect on July 1, 2026. These standards include:
- New tests for fast charging cycles
- Stricter requirements for thermal runaway
- The first official impact test on the bottom of the battery
The Aegis Gold Brick battery already meets these requirements, making it one of the first to receive full certification.
Battery Features
The Aegis Gold Brick battery boasts:
- Compact design with low internal resistance and reduced heat generation
- Double-layer separators with heat-resistant coating
- A “sandwich” structure with a 2.6mm plate
- IP68 and IPX9K protection, with Cell To Body technology
- Liquid-electric separation, electrical isolation, and reinforced thermal dissipation and safety mechanisms
Going Beyond Requirements
While the standard requires 24 tests, Geely conducts 36, with 23 exceeding the requirements. The company has incorporated the new impact test into its internal standards and plans to open its safety patents to the industry.
The Galaxy E5 has achieved excellent results in extreme thermal tests and safety certifications from CATARC, including:
- NESTA electrical certification (six dimensions)
- Five-star rating from Euro NCA and ANCAP
With nearly one million units sold and zero incidents of spontaneous combustion, Geely leads the way in electric vehicle safety. This year, the company will open its Global Safety Testing Center, the world’s largest laboratory of its kind, to the entire industry.