Electric vehicle (EV) fire safety continues to be a critical topic. A large fire at Luton airport remains something of a mystery in terms of ignition and how the fire spread so rapidly across the various decks. There are several isolated incident of battery powered London buses bursting into flames. For insurers, the risks of any new vehicle tech are something that evolves, as well as past incidents offering a brief historical dataset to help pricing. This new report could help increase knowledge of fire-fighting techniques and battery pack removal and storage too.
Effective thermal management, quality control, and battery management systems minimize the risk of thermal runaway occurring, but fire protection materials are the primary method of either preventing the propagation of thermal runaway or delaying its progression long enough to meet regulations and provide safety for occupants. IDTechEx predicts the EV market (including cars, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, microcars, LCVs, trucks, buses, boats and ships, construction vehicles, trains, and air taxis) will be worth US$3.5 trillion in 2044, with so many vehicles in operation, safety will be paramount.
IDTechEx’s new report, “Fire Protection Materials for EV Batteries 2024-2034: Markets, Trends, and Forecasts”, analyzes trends in battery design, safety regulations, and how these will impact fire protection materials. The report benchmarks materials directly and in application within EV battery packs. The materials covered include ceramic blankets/sheets (and other non-wovens), mica, aerogels, coatings (intumescent and other), encapsulants, encapsulating foams, compression pads, phase change materials, and several other materials. 10-year market forecasts are included by material and vehicle category.
The evolution and variety of battery design
Various cell formats and battery structures are used in the EV market. According to IDTechEx, in 2022, 55% of new electric cars sold used prismatic battery cells, with pouch cells accounting for 24% and the rest using cylindrical. Each of these cell formats has different needs in terms of inter-cell materials, which has led to trends in fire protection material adoption. For example, cylindrical systems have largely used encapsulating foams, whereas prismatic systems typically use materials in sheet format, such as mica.
Many manufacturers are also moving towards a cell-to-pack design where module housings (and a host of other materials) are removed, leading to improved energy density but potentially more challenging thermal runaway propagation prevention. These design choices all greatly impact the choice and deployment of fire protection materials.
Outlook
The EV market continues its strong growth, and with more vehicles on the road, it is becoming more critical than ever to provide effective protection from thermal runaway. Regulations are continuing to develop, putting a greater focus on battery safety, leading to greater opportunities for material suppliers. However, as vehicle makers are striving to reduce costs, providing materials that can cater to multiple functions at a reasonable price point is key to their future progress.
IDTechEx’s report, “Fire Protection Materials for EV Batteries 2024-2034: Markets, Trends, and Forecasts”, finds that the EV battery fire protection material market will grow at 16.1% CAGR between 2023 and 2034. The report considers the market shares of various material options, upcoming regulations, and the shifts in battery design, such as cell format, cell-to-pack, and more, to determine volume and value forecasts across on-road vehicle categories, including cars, vans, trucks, buses, 2-wheelers, 3-wheelers, and microcars.
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