BYD survives Iran missile strike: The strength behind engineering

In the exchange of missiles between Israel and Iran, a missile detonated just 2 meters away from BYD Atto 3, which was parked in Jerusalem, Israel. Surprisingly, the car not only survived the blast but also saved the passengers sitting inside. According to reports, the rescue team saved all the 5 passengers, 4 of whom had minor injuries and 1 had a moderate injury. 

The glimpses of the Atto 3 with its hazard lights on, standing among the dust covered rubble, have shocked the internet, especially netizens who are critical of electric vehicles’ safety. 

The news has raised many eyebrows and is worthy of a deeper analysis of how BYD pulled this off. Let's take a look. 

Body strength of BYD: Is BYD really strong?

The chassis of the BYD Atto 3, i.e. e Platform 3.0, has a body structure called a “multi-load-path” body with an exceptionally rigid safety cage. The BYD Atto 3 has about 85% of the chassis made of high strength steel, which has reinforced A, B, and C pillars that do not collapse even when subjected to the impact of a shockwave and shrapnel. 

In the crash test done by the Euro NCAP, the body of the BYD Atto 3 performed exceptionally well, achieving a five star rating (91% adult protection). The multi path body structure ensures that the crash impact is sent on a planned course to avoid intrusion into the passenger compartment. As a result, the passenger compartment maintained “survival space” even in the blast scenario, as all door locks and handles were functioning properly to enable evacuation without the need to use cutting tools.

However, there are some exceptional news reports of BYD catching fire as well. Recently, in Hong Kong, the cabin temperature of the BYD got so high that it started to melt the materials inside. Although the EV caught fire, the battery was completely alright and didn’t go into thermal runaway. 

The Battery technology: Are BYD cars safe from fire?

One of BYD's greatest strengths is its long, flat LFP (lithium-iron phosphate)  Blade Battery built into the chassis. The LFP chemistry used in Blade Batteries is naturally non volatile, meaning it does not release oxygen or flammable gases, nor does it burn or catch fire. Even during extreme testing procedures such as a nail penetration or crushing attack, BYD says that the Blade Batteries used in its vehicles maintained a temperature below 60 °C without smoke or flames. 

In the Israel incident, the Atto 3's blade battery was stable and unfired even when it tumbled into a crater. BYD's battery engineers also pack the battery cells into a honeycomb “cell-to-body” arrangement, making the battery pack a structural part of the chassis. This helps distribute impact forces while lowering the centre of gravity to enhance stability. In reality, the battery pack used in this blast incident had no thermal runaway or fire, which is a measure of its thermal safety. BYD even claims that all Blade Battery packs can pass the rigorous nail puncture test without catching fire.

On the other hand, last year, a 2 month old BYD owner, Aditya Soni, tweeted his experience with the BYD battery. As per Soni, his car’s battery got flood damaged, and when contacted for the warranty claim, the company refused the coverage of water related damages in the vehicle’s warranty. He goes on to explain how he became a victim of a lying insurance agent. This incident raised some questions about BYD’s compatibility with Indian roads. 

BYD’s Occupant Protection Systems: How BYD saved passengers

In addition to the structure and the battery, the Atto 3’s safety equipment has provided added robustness to the vehicle. It has a full SRS airbag system, seven airbags, side and curtain bags, along with pretensioned belts. The car also featured advanced driver assistance features like forward collision warning, automatic braking, lane keep assist, etc., which are standard on all variants. But these are more for the safety of the driver than the blast protection of the occupants.

In the BYD Atto 3, the electrical and safety systems continued functioning after the nearby missile blast mainly because of how BYD designs the vehicle’s electrical architecture and structural protection. The car has two separate electrical systems: a high voltage system that powers the motor and a low voltage (12V) system that runs safety features like hazard lights, door locks, and electronics. During a severe shock event, sensors automatically disconnect the high voltage battery using safety contactors, preventing short circuits or fires while keeping the low voltage network alive. At the same time, the vehicle’s e-Platform 3.0 chassis routes critical cables through reinforced structural channels, protecting them from damage by impact or shrapnel. The battery itself is integrated structurally into the frame in a cell to body design and uses stable lithium-iron phosphate chemistry, which is highly resistant to thermal runaway. Because the blast mainly affected exterior panels while the structural cage and protected wiring tunnels remained intact, the low voltage circuits continued supplying power, allowing the hazard light.