Liangjiang-made NEV begins Antarctic testing

The Avatr 12 undergoes polar testing on the Antarctic continent. [Photo provided to english.liangjiang.gov.cn]

A landmark event took place on Dec 7 as the Avatr 12, a new energy vehicle manufactured in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area, was lowered onto the Antarctic glacier from the polar research icebreaker Xuelong, known as the Snow Dragon.

This marks the commencement of its polar testing journey at the Antarctic central station, making the Avatr 12 the first NEV to set wheels on the Antarctic continent.

The Avatr 12 will undergo a series of rigorous adaptive application tests to withstand Antarctica's extreme cold temperatures, fierce snowstorms, and intense ultraviolet radiation.

The data collected from these tests will be crucial to the advancement of technologies related to functional safety, intelligent electronic control, and thermal management in new energy vehicles.

Wang Li, senior director of Product Market Matrix at Avatr Technology, emphasized that the data will address a significant gap in understanding NEV performance in polar environments.

The initiative is expected to drive technological advancements and upgrades in the Chinese NEV industry, particularly in adapting to low temperatures, strong winds, intense UV exposure, and icy road conditions.

The deployment of the Avatr 12 in Antarctica also aligns with the "Green Expedition" initiative, which was proposed in 2017 during the 40th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting by China in collaboration with countries such as Australia, Chile, and France, aiming to enhance Antarctic research and environmental protection efforts.

The China Automotive Technology & Research Center (CATARC) Engineering Institute has integrated the global adaptive development and application of advanced common technologies in Chinese NEVs with the Antarctic "Green Expedition" initiative, facilitating the Avatr 12's Antarctic testing mission.