- A BYD Song Plus EV was struck by lightning while driving, but both the driver and the vehicle were unharmed.
- Apart from two lightning strike points on the roof, the vehicle's exterior remained undamaged.
At a time when automakers are trying to prove the safety of their vehicles through a variety of crash tests, an almost impossible scenario has proven the safety of one of BYD's best-selling electric vehicles (EVs).Earlier this week, a BYD Song Plus EV was struck by lightning while driving, but both the driver and the vehicle were unharmed.
The incident occurred on August 6 in Beihai, southern China's Guangxi, and videos of the accident were widely shared on Chinese social media platforms.
Yesterday, local media outlet Chongqing Daily interviewed a mechanic who inspected the vehicle and said that the power battery pack, electronic control system, and motor showed no signs of short-circuiting.
Apart from two lightning strike points on the roof, the vehicle's exterior was undamaged, according to the report.
Li Yunfei, BYD's general manager of brand and public relations, shared the report on Weibo today, stating that the Song Plus EV withstood three lightning strikes, the driver was unharmed, and the vehicle's battery, motor, and electrical control system were all intact.
"This is the first time in my 12-year career that I have seen a vehicle struck by lightning!" the Chongqing Daily quoted the mechanic as saying.
The vehicle activated its power cutoff protection function during the lightning strikes, demonstrating strong safety performance, the report said.
The owner remained inside the vehicle after the incident and called for rescue services while waiting for a tow truck, according to the report.
The all-electric Song Plus EV is part of BYD's Ocean series, with a starting price in China of RMB 149,800 ($20,740) to RMB 175,800.
Another Song family model in BYD's Ocean series is the hybrid Song Plus DM-i, with a starting price in China of RMB 135,800 to RMB 175,800.
BYD sold 344,296 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in July, up 0.56 percent year-on-year, but down 10.01 percent from June, according to data it previously released.
The Song family sold 59,026 vehicles in July, making it BYD's second-best-selling model.
The family includes the Dynasty series Song L EV, Song L DM-i, Song Pro DM-i, and the Ocean series Song Plus EV and Song Plus DM-i.
($1 = RMB 7.1827)
