Great Wall Motor launches next-generation power battery 'Dayu'

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- During Great Wall Motor (GWM)'s 8th Tech Festival, the automaker launched its next-generation power battery dubbed “Dayu”, whose technical patents will be open to the whole auto industry for free.

The battery is designed to eradicate dangerous fire and explosion after the cells of different chemical systems come across thermal runaway. According to Li Shuhui, GWM's deputy general manager of R&D, the Dayu battery adopts the high-capacity NCM 811 battery cells and will not catch fire or explode when thermal runaway happens. To ensure the battery safety, the developer employs such technologies as multi-echelon converter system, multi-level targeted explosive disposal system, and fire extinguisher box.

The battery is named after a legendary king in ancient China who was famed for his introduction of flood control. Shan Hongyan, vice president of GWM, said the approach to keep the battery safe is inspired by how Dayu tamed floods, namely “dredging”.

The new battery will be fully applied in GWM's NEV models from 2022, said the company.

GWM is targeting an annual sales volume of 4 million vehicles in 2025, and expects 80% of the annual sales to be new energy vehicles, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, the company's chairman Wei Jianjun said on June 28.

GWM's revenue is anticipated to reach 600 billion yuan ($92.858 billion), Mr. Wei said in a briefing on the company's strategy.

Besides, the Baoding-headquartered automaker will pour up to 100 billion yuan ($15.476 billion) into R&D businesses over the next five years.