Over the past few days, one of the hottest topics in the EV industry has been the widespread battery failures plaguing GAC Aion S models equipped with CALB (China Aviation Lithium Battery) cells.
A growing number of owners — particularly ride-hailing drivers — have reported serious issues: battery swelling, electrolyte leakage, cell ruptures, insulation faults, sharp drops in range, and even sudden power loss while driving. Complaint platforms recorded 182 cases in just half a month, with an estimated 213,000 vehicles potentially affected and a fault detection rate of around 4.7%. The problems are heavily concentrated in high-mileage commercial vehicles (150,000–300,000 km) fitted with CALB’s 177Ah lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells.
This is no longer a handful of isolated incidents. It has become a full-scale quality crisis.
How Serious Is the Problem?
Reports and third-party inspections paint a consistent picture:
- Cells swelling and leaking electrolyte, sometimes forcing safety valves open and corroding internal components
- Insulation warnings, inability to charge, and dramatic range reductions (some owners reported losses of 50 km or more)
- The most alarming cases: vehicles suddenly “dying” while on the road, leaving drivers stranded
Multiple independent inspections have ruled out external factors such as collisions or water damage, pointing instead to internal manufacturing defects. Adding insult to injury, many failures occur right after the original 8-year/150,000 km warranty expires — forcing some owners to face repair bills of 30,000 yuan or more, with quotes as high as 80,000 yuan for a full battery pack replacement.
For ride-hailing drivers who depend on high daily mileage, this isn’t just an inconvenience. It’s a direct threat to their livelihood.
How Have the Companies Responded?
On July 18, under pressure from media coverage (including reports from Xinhua) and public complaints, both GAC Aion and CALB issued statements.
GAC Aion apologized and announced three key measures for affected Aion S vehicles equipped with the CALB 177Ah LFP battery:
- Extending the battery warranty from 8 years/150,000 km to 8 years/300,000 km
- Offering free inspections, repairs, or full battery pack replacements
- Providing subsidies for vehicles that require more than five days of repair time
- Strengthening remote battery data monitoring and proactively contacting owners when anomalies are detected
CALB, for its part, committed to free inspections and maintenance through GAC Aion’s 4S network and its own service outlets, stating it takes full lifecycle responsibility for product quality.
Importantly, the extended warranty currently applies only to the relevant Aion S models. Other vehicles in the lineup are not included. Neither company has launched a formal large-scale recall, opting instead for the warranty-extension and free-repair approach.
Final Thoughts
GAC Aion and CALB moved relatively quickly with their response, and the 300,000 km warranty extension shows a degree of commitment. For owners who have already experienced swelling, leakage, or sudden power loss just beyond the original warranty, however, true peace of mind will only come from smooth inspections, reliable repairs, and evidence that no further batch problems emerge.
As EV adoption deepens, consumer concerns are shifting from pure range anxiety to questions of real-world lifespan and safety beyond 150,000 or 200,000 kilometers. This swelling crisis may prove to be an important turning point — pushing the industry away from pure volume-and-price competition toward genuine long-term durability and full-lifecycle quality.
After all, what has swollen is not just the battery cells, but the entire industry’s scrutiny of its quality bottom line.
