EV Passenger Safety with Thermal Management and Fire Protection

Multiple methods are now on the market to reduce the chances of thermal runaway within electric vehicles, with the market currently seeing new developments and increased innovation to prevent fire hazards and improve vehicle safety. IDTechEx's portfolio of Thermal Management Research Reports and Subscriptions covers the latest technologies.

 

 

With thermal runaway having long been a very real possibility within electric vehicles and many recalls having taken place due to potential fire hazards, the right thermal management solutions and fire protection materials are a necessary measure to prioritize.

 

Around 37% of all automotive fire incidents have occurred while the vehicle was parked, with another 30% having happened in a period of stationary charging. 17% of all automotive fires have taken place in a crash, while cars that were simply driving have been responsible for approximately 14% of these thermal runaway events. IDTechEx's research has found that Tesla has been responsible for the majority of electric vehicle fires, highlighting a need for further investigation into management and prevention. IDTechEx's report, "Fire Protection Materials for EV Batteries 2027-2037: Markets, Trends, and Forecasts", covers the latest advancements in the fire protection materials market.

 

 

 

Globally, regulations have been ramping up for some time. Longer escape times in EVs are increasingly becoming a priority to ensure passengers can have the most time possible to exit a vehicle upon cell failure or thermal runaway detection. In China, a five-minute warning for occupants is required once a thermal event begins, before any smoke has begun to visibly emerge from the vehicle. In Europe, a similar five-minute regulation is in place, while in the US, a warning is required to be given during a three-minute period after a thermal event has begun.

 

China's other policies include requirements for no leakage, ruptures, fire, and explosions to happen within the five-minute warning, and for batteries to not catch fire or explode for at least two hours after thermal runaway starts. EV battery-specific regulations are also in place in China, with a focus on improving safety surrounding vibration, impact, mechanical shock, crush, thermal humidity, and more. Thermal shock, cycling, and fire tests are also required to be performed on batteries in the EU.

 

 

LFP battery chemistries are expected to be a favourite for electric vehicles, alongside high-nickel layered oxides, due to reduced costs and higher safety characteristics. Improvements being made in pack and system level energy density, along with safety qualities, are also broadening the scope for LFPs to be an ideal choice going forward.

 

 

Structurally, cell-to-pack and cell-to-body designs are beginning to be favored over modular pack designs as they require fewer parts, and can have increased energy density, simplified thermal management, and lower costs. However, thermal runaway can be trickier to manage with these designs, with crash resistance and mechanical integrity also reported to not be as optimized, meaning there are still multiple considerations to be had where battery designs are concerned.

 

IDTechEx's report, "Li-ion Batteries and Battery Management Systems for Electric Vehicles 2026-2036: Technologies, Forecasts, and Players", explores battery chemistries and management for electric vehicles, while the "Materials for Electric Vehicle Battery Cells and Packs 2026-2036: Technologies, Markets, Forecasts" report covers materials analysis alongside trends and forecasts.

 

 

At cell-level, fire protection materials listed by IDTechEx in the Fire Protection Materials for EV Batteries report include encapsulants, compression pads, phase change materials, and encapsulating foams, while at pack-level, coatings and ceramic papers and blankets are common options. Aerogels, polymers, and mica sheets can be used both at cell-level and pack-level. For thermal insulation, materials such as aerogels, foams, and ceramic blankets are opted for, whereas in non-actively cooled systems, thermally conductive materials such as encapsulants and phase change materials may be chosen to disperse heat, highlighting the large market for fire protection materials and the availability of application-specific materials.

 

 

For more information, visit IDTechEx's portfolios of Thermal Management andElectric Vehicles Research Reports and Subscriptions for the latest developments within the sectors.