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• Impact loading can cause the short-circuit of lithium-ion batteries in an earlier displacement than quasi-static loading. • A simulation model of a cylindrical battery is developed to illustrate the loading-rate dependent short-circuit mechanisms. • A short-circuit criterion is established based on the strain-rate dependent fracture behaviour of the separator. • The results can provide a design guide to enhance crashworthiness of cylindrical batteries for electric vehicles. Lithium-ion battery failures, particularly in the case of high-speed collisions in electric vehicles, have become a growing concern. This study investigates the failure mechanism of an 18650 cylindrical battery which is indicated by the occurrence of an inner short circuit at various loading rate. The voltage drop due to an internal short circuit typically occurs shortly before the maximum force is reached in quasi-static loading cases. Whereas, under dynamic loading conditions, the battery exhibits a loading-rate effect, which causes a voltage drop due to short circuits occurring at an earlier displacement. The loading-rate hardening mechanism is primarily attributed to electrolyte flux. A finite element model of an 18650 cylindrical battery is established and calibrated with the in-situ tests results. The failure location inside the jellyroll cross-section is identified with the maximum equivalent plastic strain. Under the dynamic loading, the maximum stress corresponding to the short circuiting is higher than the quasi-static counterpart. The finite element model is used to illustrate the inner short-circuit mechanisms of the batteries under different loading rates, providing a design guide for enhancing the crashworthiness of the battery components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]