EVs, hybrids and aftercare 28 www.aftermarketonline.net JULY/AUGUST 2025 Battery tech and manufacturing company 24M Technologies has warned that as the number of EVs worldwide and cell energy densities grow dramatically, thermal incidents are set to increase, with a significant potential impact on public safety and OEM profitability, unless battery cell design is reimagined. The total number of EVs on the world’s roads is forecast to reach 250 million in 2030, up from around 40 million vehicles today, and with some markets already experiencing a 33% increase in thermal incidents involving EVs, the problem is only going to increase. While these are far less frequent than fires involving ICE cars, 24M said they still pose major safety concerns as they are much more dangerous, and more likely to take place when a vehicle is parked or during charging — presenting concerns for workshops and motorists alike. Even at a conservative rate of one fire per 10,000 EVs, thermal incidents could reach 25,000 per year worldwide by the end of the decade. In addition to EV volume growth, cell energy density is another factor that affects battery safety. Energy density has been continuously increasing over time, providing longer ranges and enabling greater EV adoption. But despite manufacturers’ best efforts, process failures, particularly contamination risks, cannot be completely avoided. These issues, as well as the growth in ever faster charging capabilities, increases the threat of internal short circuits. Although systems exist to contain a fire once it has started, 24M believes EV fires can be prevented in the first place by properly addressing and preventing root causes. Among potential risks within a car, battery safety and health need to be paramount. The automotive industry today utilises the established ‘design failure mode and effects analysis (DFMEA) process to identify critical risks, where the highest rating of 10 has the potential of a serious, adverse effect on consumer safety, including catastrophic damage, major system failure, life-threatening injury or death. When a DFMEA rating is assigned a severity rating of 9 or 10, only a design change can mitigate the risk and reduce its severity. 24M believes batteries and their inherent safety concerns should be treated as a severity 10 rating, like steering system pressure, anti-lock brake defects and airbag malfunctions. Fires in lithium batteries often occur because of dendrite growth in cells. Dendrites are inevitable over a battery’s lifecycle as it ages and undergoes thousands of charge/discharge cycles. They can also occur through overcharging, charging at very low temperatures or frequent fast charging/ discharging. This can create a short circuit or ‘thermal runaway’ where the cell overheats, releasing flammable gases which then ignite. It only takes one cell to overheat, which can happen in milliseconds. 24M said its pioneering Impervio system is uniquely capable of suppressing dendrites and neutralising thermal runaway before it can start. Unlike other technologies, Impervio not only monitors individual cells but prevents thermal incidents. Ulrik Grape, president, European operations, at 24M, said: “Controlling the cell at the individual electrode level, the Impervio separator actively suppresses dendrite growth within cells while enabling sophisticated monitoring capabilities for early fault and shortcircuit detection. It can shut down a cell that is at risk – monitoring, preventing, containing – and represents a step change in safety while offering the capability to massively reduce risk and financial exposure.” As an example, in a side-by-side test of two NMC/graphite cells, one with Impervio, the other with a conventional separator, charged to 100%, then to 100% overcapacity, non-Impervio cells saw dendrite growth-induced micro shorts after 15 minutes, with the cell forming a hard short, catching fire and then exploding after 38 minutes. However, cells with 24M’s Impervio technology saw negligible temperature increase, did not short and did not catch fire. Integrating seamlessly with conventional lithium-ion, lithium metal, and 24M’s proprietary LiForever cells, and providing continuous cell monitoring, Impervio enables OEMs to identify and address potential issues before they escalate into safety hazards. It also allows OEMs to target recalls to specific affected units rather than recalling an entire model line. Impervio can improve battery stateof-health and end-of-life predictions, influencing overall battery life and potential reuse. Innovation boost for EV battery safety Ulrik Grape
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