It would be really great if we could move on from the e-bike lithium-ion fires devastating lives. That particular industry is so vast, it warrants a sizeable investment to sort this problem, once and for all. The Verge reports a U.S. manufacturer claims to have invented potted e-bike batteries that do the trick. We decided it was worth delving into this one, and reporting right away.
Are Potted E-Bike Batteries Like Plants in Containers?
In a sense yes, they are. You see, potting materials in chemistry flow over circuit boards to protect them. Certain other devices use potting to shelter them from water, heat, vibration, impact, and the elements. This begins to make a good case for containing lithium-ion batteries this way.
Website Cision advises that this a continuation of the manufacturer’s policy of raising the safety bar in the e-bike industry. Their new ‘safe shield battery’ redesigns this assurance from the ground up, to counter lithium-ion battery thermal runaway. The innovation is available in external and semi-integrated packs.
From what we understand, these potted e-bike batteries meet U.S. Standard UL 2271: Batteries for Use In Light Electric Vehicle Applications. This being the case, then ‘safe shield batteries’ should be able to comply with:
- A series of construction, performance, electrical, mechanical, and environmental tests across a wide range.
- These include over-charging, over-discharging, short circuiting, and operating at a maximum specified temperature.
More Technical Information About the Batteries
The Verge confirms that the manufacturer injects an epoxy resin into the individual battery cells, with the intention of preventing dangerous chemical reactions. Moreover, this ‘encapsulation’ protects the cells, while isolating them from others nearby.
Other innovative features of these 15-amp-hour potted e-bike batteries include 21,700 cells with 21 mm diameter, and 70 mm length. The manufacturer has already delivered over 600,000 e-bikes with earlier batteries, but reports only one fire incident.
More Information
E-Bike Lithium-Ion Battery Fires ‘Redoubling’
