JAKARTA: PT Chery Sales Indonesia, the official distributor of Chery in Indonesia, recently conducted a unique battery test under its “In Somewhere, For Somewhere” localisation strategy to reflect its commitment to adapting products to the environmental demands of each market.
With a good majority of Indonesia’s some 281-million citizens well-versed with its country’s ability to succumb to floods, the company decided to showcase its brand’s parts quality by removing a high-voltage 18.3kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) pack from a Chery Tiggo 8 CSH (Chery Super Hybrid).
The C-segment plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sports utility vehicle (SUV) was launched in Indonesia on May and marked the first right-hand-drive variant to arrive in Asean.
The company proceeded to submerge the battery, weighing an estimated 150kg, into a tank before subsequently filling it with seawater and included a few native fish specie for good measure.
The feat was conducted under the brand’s Extreme Challenge – Chery Safety Battery Test in an attempt to demonstrate the part’s ability to endure the country’s tropical climate conditions.
This artificial simulation mimicked one of the most extreme real-world risks a vehicle quipped with a high-voltage battery could face.
After 53 hours, 51 minutes, and 31 seconds (or 2 days, 5 hours, 51 minutes, and 31 seconds) of submersion under about a metre of seawater, the battery was raised on June 19.
The once freshly filled tank of seawater now appeared murky, and yes, the fish were still alive and swimming for those concerned about wildlife.
The test was conducted before the eyes of both local and international media (Malaysia), which provided evidence that the battery’s build exceeds its IP68 waterproof certification rating.
The IP68 certification is an international standard that indicates how well a device is protected against the intrusion of solids such as dust and liquids.
The “IP” stands for Ingress Protection, while “6” refers to the highest level of protection where no dust is able to enter, hence the battery can be said to be Dust-Tight.
The second digit, “8”, refers to the protection level against liquids, or highly corrosive seawater in this case, for 30 minutes or more with a continuous immersion beyond one meter or even up to 1.5 meters or more, depending on design.
Following the removal of the battery from its seawater-filled confines, it was later dried and reinstalled before successfully powering up the Tiggo 8 CSH.
This was followed by test drives conducted by the media around the surrounding area of Land’s End located in Pantai Indah Kapuk 2 (PIK 2) in North Jakarta, Indonesia.
Building on this success, the Chinese brand plans to bring similar extreme safety trials to other key markets, including South Africa, Brazil and Mexico, as part of its mission to set new safety benchmarks for electrified vehicles globally.
“Indonesia is not just a key market, but the right stage to showcase our battery technology,” said PT Chery Sales Indonesia branding head Rifkie Setiawan.
“With frequent heavy rainfall and urban flooding risks, this test reinforces our confidence in the battery’s ability to endure even in the most punishing environments,” he concluded.
Chery’s safety test forms part of its global “Mission Impossible Campaign” which is said to push the limits of electric vehicle (EV) safety innovation.
The approach combines saltwater submersion and real-world driving evaluation to ensure the battery’s insulation, structural integrity, and charging/discharging stability remain intact even after extreme exposure.
In a statement, the company said that the test goes beyond typical waterproof testing, given the high conductivity and corrosive nature of saltwater.
It further added that results affirm that Chery’s LFP battery can withstand risks such as short circuits, leakage, and fire, even in extreme humidity.
Among the safety enhancements gifted to the LFP battery is the Chainmail Battery Safety Structure, a key engineering highlight that features 14 reinforced anchor points that help to increase chassis rigidity by 7% and withstand up to 200kN of extrusion pressure.
The battery is further protected by a multilayered insulation system that comprises of 10 layers underneath and 15 on the sides before wrapping in 16 thermal layers.
This battery is also said to have endured a multitude of safety stress tests conducted in China, including spiral rollovers, dual collisions, 4.9m drop tests, and salt spray exposure for over 720 hours.
Although the battery has undergone such extreme tests and exposures, especially its recent submergence in seawater, questions regarding its durability now linger.
Has the seawater managed to decrease the LFP battery’s ability to provide up to 90km of pure electric range?
Or degraded the battery’s ability to support fast-charging from 30% to 80% in just 20 minutes, or diminished its ability to operate across a wide temperature range from -35 to 60 Celsius.
Only time will tell, but regardless, all Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo vehicles in Indonesia are covered by a standard six-year or 150,000km warranty for factory defects in Indonesia.
This includes a 10-year or one million kilometre engine warranty for Tiggo model engines, free four-year or 60,000km free maintenance at authorised dealers, and a mobile workshop using Tiggo 7 Pro units for at-home servicing.
While the high-voltage battery of the Tiggo 8 CSH gets covered by a 10-year or 200,000km warranty, the Jaecoo J7 SHS (Super Hybrid System) gets an eight-year or 160,000km warranty instead and includes a one-to-one replacement guarantee should the battery’s state of health (SoH) fall below 70% during the warranty period.
The company also boasts having 62 dealerships across 30 Indonesian cities that provide full sales, service, and parts support as outlined by its six-star Chery Service
Standard after-sales support, which aims to provide convenience, care, and reassurance.
Under this standard, new owners are provided with Basic and Exclusive Tier Active Service packages.
Within the Basic Tier Active Service (free for the lifetime of the vehicle), the brand proactively reminds owners of upcoming maintenance schedules to ensure timely servicing.
A service follow-up call and check-in after dealership visits, and an online service booking system through its official website or via WhatsApp is also provided.
The Exclusive tier is available in selected areas within Indonesia, such as Jakarta, Bekasi, and Tangerang for now and is free for the first year for new buyers.
This tier provides a Home Service where qualified technicians provide a pick-up and return of vehicles to a customer’s home, and a Worry Free Service where vehicles are returned clean and serviced at no extra charge.
A one-year Emergency Roadside Assistance with all-day, every day (24/7) nationwide coverage within 50km of a Chery dealer is also included.
