1. Are High Energy Batteries Safe?
Brought to you by Automotive IQ
By: Peter Els
Ever since Sony and Asahi Kasei released the first commercial lithium-ion batteries
in 1991consumer bodies and professionals alike have been critical of their safety.
Exploding cell phone batteries and laptop computer batteries that spontaneously
ignite have all made headline news; and more recently Electric Vehicles (EV), Hybrid
Electric Vehicles (HEV) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) and even aircraft
have all been in the news after apparently suffering a similar fate.
According to Strategic Analytics, 98% of EVs used Li-ion batteries in 2010, with this
figure set to increase to 100% in 2017. Similarly, 11% of mild hybrid EVs used Liion in 2010 with predictions doubling that percentage by 2017. For the same period
it’s predicted that full hybrid EVs will rise from 0% Li-ion powered to 17%: An
indication that, for the time being, Li-ion is taking over from nickel-metal hydride
(NiMH) in the electric and hybrid market.
However consumer concerns remain, fueled by regular reports of exploding
batteries or fires.
The facts surrounding Li-ion battery fires
Most fires have been as a result of thermal runaway incidents related to lithium-ion
batteries and have involved a wide range of vehicles: Zotye M300 EV, Chevrolet
Volt, Fisker Karma, BYD e6, Dodge Ram 1500 Plug-in Hybrid, and the Mitsubishi iMiEV and Outlander P-HEV have all been affected.
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t: +49 (0) 30 2091 3274 | f: +49 (0) 30 2091 3263 | e: eq@iqpc.de | w: www.iqpc.de
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2. Image credit: 26th International battery seminar & exhibition: 2009 B. Barnett, Tiax.
Lithium is used in batteries as an anode because it has extremely high
electrochemical potential, with lithium-ions moving to the electrode producing the
energy. Lithium’s low atomic weight is also useful in reducing the mass of the
batteries.
However, lithium is an alkali metal along with sodium, potassium, and the rest of
the first group on the periodic table. Not only are these elements highly flammable,
but they are also extremely reactive. So when a Li-ion battery does overheat, the
lithium in it accelerates the breakdown of other cells making it prone to thermal
runaway.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------IQPC GmbH | Friedrichstr. 94 | D-10117 Berlin, Germany
t: +49 (0) 30 2091 3274 | f: +49 (0) 30 2091 3263 | e: eq@iqpc.de | w: www.iqpc.de
Visit Automotive IQ for a portfolio of topic-related events, congresses and conferences: www.automotive-iq.com