Surviving Three Lightning Strikes: The Resilient BYD Song Plus EV
Electric BYD Song Plus EV withstands powerful lightning strikes without any noticeable damage. Its resilience is as if it encountered no incident at all.
In an extraordinary event, a BYD Song Plus EV managed to withstand three lightning strikes while on the road in Beihai, southern China's Guangxi, on August 6. The incident, which was widely shared on Chinese social media platforms, left the vehicle's exterior undamaged apart from two points on the roof where the lightning struck.
Li Yunfei, BYD's general manager of brand and public relations, shared the report on Weibo, confirming the incident and praising the vehicle's resilience. According to his statement, the Song Plus EV's survival was largely due to the Faraday Cage Effect and the robust design of its electrical systems.
The Faraday Cage Effect, a physical phenomenon discovered by Michael Faraday, causes electrical charges to be distributed evenly around the exterior of a conductor. In the case of the BYD Song Plus EV, the metal body of the vehicle acted as a Faraday cage, channeling the electrical current around the vehicle and safely guiding it to the ground, protecting both the driver and the vehicle's internal systems.
In addition to the Faraday cage effect, the vehicle's electrical systems, including the power battery pack, electronic control system, and motor, showed no signs of short-circuiting. This indicates that the vehicle's design and engineering also play a significant role in preventing damage from high-voltage electrical discharges.
The exterior of the vehicle, apart from the visible marks on the roof where the lightning struck, showed minimal damage. This suggests that the vehicle's structural design and materials help maintain its integrity even when faced with extreme external forces like lightning strikes.
The owner of the Song Plus EV remained inside the vehicle after the lightning incident and called for rescue services while waiting for a tow truck. The mechanic who inspected the vehicle later stated that this is the first time in his 12-year career that he has seen a vehicle struck by lightning.
The all-electric Song Plus EV is part of BYD's Ocean series, with a starting price in China ranging from RMB 149,800 to RMB 175,800. Another Song family model in BYD's Ocean series is the hybrid Song Plus DM-i, with a starting price ranging from RMB 135,800 to RMB 175,800.
Interestingly, BYD's July NEV sales dropped to last year's level as PHEVs continue to decline. The company sold 344,296 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in July, which is a 0.56 percent increase year-on-year but a 10.01 percent decrease from June. The Song family was BYD's second-best-selling model in July, selling 59,026 vehicles.
With its resilience to lightning strikes and its place in BYD's successful Ocean series, the BYD Song Plus EV continues to prove itself as a reliable and innovative electric vehicle.
(Exchange rate: $1 = RMB 7.1827)
- The BYD Song Plus EV's survival of three lightning strikes in China demonstrates the robustness of not only its Faraday Cage effect but also its electrical systems.
- The Faraday Cage Effect, a physical phenomenon, enabled the metal body of the BYD Song Plus EV to protect its internal systems from the electrical current caused by the lightning strikes.
- The electric vehicle, part of BYD's Ocean series, showed minimal damage after the incident, indicating its strong structural design and materials.
- The incident has attracted attention in China, with BYD's sales of electric-vehicles (EVs) still showing a steady increase despite a slight drop in July compared to the previous months.
- The resilience of the BYD Song Plus EV, combined with its innovative technology and competitive price, solidifies its position as a reliable and innovative electric vehicle in the fast-evolving lifestyle of people choosing electric cars.
