New Energy

Electric vehicle insulation and battery safety are facing new challenges

With the rapid popularization of electric vehicles, battery insulation and fire prevention are becoming major issues that automakers must confront. Especially the safety hazards caused by battery thermal runaway have become a highly concerned issue in the industry and among users.

In recent years, reports about self-ignition and collision fires of electric vehicle batteries have been frequent, and a considerable proportion of them are closely related to battery thermal runaway. Once heat spreads rapidly among battery cells, it may lead to a chain reaction of thermal diffusion, thereby endangering the safety of the entire vehicle. Therefore, the development of new and highly efficient heat insulation and fireproof materials can not only prevent the spread of high temperatures but also effectively delay the risks caused by thermal runaway, thus buying more escape time for passengers.

The entire vehicle level also faces multiple challenges:

Insufficient low-temperature performance: In winter environments, battery packs are prone to malfunction due to excessively low temperatures and require advanced insulation materials to maintain stable performance.

Risks of traditional materials: Common organic foam insulation materials are flammable and release a large amount of toxic smoke when burning, seriously threatening the respiratory and nervous systems of passengers.

Space constraints: The internal space of electric vehicles, especially battery packs, is limited. Traditional complex insulation materials are difficult to apply, and there is an urgent need for new insulation solutions that are ultra-thin, convenient and efficient.

Against this backdrop, new types of inorganic, non-toxic, fire-resistant and ultra-thin thermal insulation materials are becoming a key research and development direction in the industry. Among them, aerogel, with its excellent thermal insulation performance, fire resistance and lightweight characteristics, is regarded as an ideal choice for thermal management and fire safety of electric vehicle batteries.