Electric Vehicles: Towards the End of Battery Fires?

LG Chem-LX Hausys has invented an ultra-resistant fireproof material capable of delaying the thermal runaway of batteries. A revolution?

The test is conclusive: a blowtorch heating a plate of the new material to 1500 degrees for 20 minutes without it cracking. This is the achievement that Chinese electronics and chemistry specialist LG Chem has managed, marking a significant breakthrough in thermal management of batteries and their sometimes spontaneous ignition.

Electric vehicle fires have become a nightmare for firefighters, who currently have very limited options to extinguish them. The ecological impact is also dramatic, as batteries are composed of chemical materials that are very harmful to health and the environment.

This new material was designed to serve as a “lid” for car battery packs. It is a “special thermoplastic with continuous fireproof fibers” capable of withstanding 14 times longer than current standards. LG was already the holder of the previous record, which involved a material able to withstand a flame of 1000 degrees for 10 minutes.

What is thermal runaway?

Thermal runaway, the main cause of electric vehicle battery fires, is a phenomenon in which heat is generated within a battery cell due to constraints from various causes. The thermal runaway phenomenon is one of the factors delaying the popularization of electric vehicles and has been considered a problem for electric vehicle and battery users.

LG Chem specifies that its material can be molded into the exact shapes required by manufacturers to protect the battery packs later inserted into vehicle chassis. Another detail: LG Chem advocates for a “belt and suspenders” approach, layering both the old and new materials to further enhance safety.

Will electric vehicle fires soon become a thing of the past? Let’s hope so.

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