
Most electric vehicles humming along Australian roads are packed with lithium-ion batteries. They’re the same powerhouses that fuel our smartphones and laptops – celebrated for their ability to store heaps of energy in a small space. The reality is lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles are very safe. In fact, from 2010. . If a fire bursts out in an EV or battery storage facility, the first instinct may be to grab the nearest hose. However, getting too close to the fire could spell disaster as you may be injured by jet. . Although EV fires are very rare, if you do own an EV (or plan to in the future), there are a few steps you can take to tip the scale in your favour. First,. [pdf]
Why do lithium-ion batteries catch fire? Lithium-ion battery cells combine a flammable electrolyte with significant stored energy, and if a lithium-ion battery cell creates more heat than it can effectively disperse, it can lead to a rapid uncontrolled release of heat energy, known as ‘thermal runaway’, that can result in a fire or explosion.
When a lithium-ion battery fire breaks out, the damage can be extensive. These fires are not only intense, they are also long-lasting and potentially toxic. What causes these fires? Most electric vehicles humming along Australian roads are packed with lithium-ion batteries.
Due to the self-sustaining process of thermal runaway, Lithium-ion battery fires are also difficult to quell. Bigger batteries such as those used in electric vehicles may reignite hours or even days after the event, even after being cooled. Source: Firechief® Global
Water can react with lithium and cause a violent reaction. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), using water can lead to spreading the fire and causing greater damage. Move away from smoke: The smoke generated by burning lithium-ion batteries can be extremely toxic.
Battery condition also plays a role—damaged batteries can heat up more rapidly. Environmental conditions such as the availability of oxygen can exacerbate fires. Additionally, the size and capacity of the battery contribute to temperature potential; larger batteries typically generate more heat.
If the battery is punctured or damaged, it may also ignite due to exposure of the internal materials. Additionally, if a battery is subjected to an external fire, it can burn at similar high temperatures, contributing to the risk of spreading flames.

Battery balancing and battery redistribution refer to techniques that improve the available of a with multiple cells (usually in series) and increase each cell's longevity. A battery balancer or battery regulator is an electrical device in a battery pack that performs battery balancing. Balancers are often found in packs for laptop computers, electrical vehicles. Therefore, balancing is essential to ensure cell voltages approach or within safe upper limits, thus safeguarding the battery system's operation. [pdf]
Battery balancing can prolong the lifespan of the cells by limiting the overcharging and over discharging of individual cells. Battery balancing can also avoid potential safety problems by limiting overcharging and over discharging of particular cells. Overcharged and over discharged cells both run the risk of overheating and even starting a fire.
However, they are prone to cell voltage imbalance over time, which can significantly reduce battery capacity and overall performance. To address this issue and improve the lifetime of battery packs, cell balancing methods have been developed.
This battery balancing method uses resistors in a balancing circuit that equalizes the voltage of each cell by the dissipation of energy from higher cell voltage and formulates the entire cell voltages equivalent to the lowest cell voltage. This technique can be classified as a fixed shunt resistor and switching shunt resistor method.
Battery balancing cannot fix a completely dead or damaged cell. Balancing equalizes charge levels among functional cells. If a cell is severely degraded or has failed, you may need to replace it to restore the battery pack’s performance.
Without balancing, when one cell in a pack reaches its upper voltage limit during charging, the monitoring circuit signals the control system to stop charging, leaving the pack undercharged. With balancing, the Battery Management System (BMS) continuously monitors voltage differences and upper voltage limits.
Battery balancers work by continuously monitoring the voltage of each cell in a battery pack and taking action to equalize the charge levels when imbalances are detected. The specific operation depends on whether it’s a passive or active balancer: 1.

Most OEMs and battery manufacturers have built or are planning to build gigafactories to produce lithium-ion batteries at scale, either independently or through joint ventures, yet developing gigafactories is challenging. Even the most experienced battery manufacturers commonly encounter start-of. . A successful gigafactory project needs a highly competent and productive workforce, both during construction and in the subsequent operation of the factory. One of the most important practices here is to make the local labor. . To avoid delays and cost overruns, companies need to consider sourcing—particularly battery manufacturing equipment. [pdf]
This article focuses on three key measures for preventing or responding to EV battery shortages: industrialization and scale-up of gigafactories, strategies to find and retain talent, and establishment of a robust and efficient supply chain.
McKinsey’s report suggests the possibility of a slight shortage in 2030 as the battery sector continues to vie with steel and other sectors for Class 1 nickel.
In fact, the battery supply chain risks facing a situation similar to the current semiconductor chip shortage, where demand growth has outstripped capital investment in new supply. Furthermore, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors will play a more significant role—raising another set of issues that companies need to address.
All aspects of the battery value chain are expected to grow rapidly through 2030, with cell production and material extraction being the largest markets (Exhibit 2). That growth will likely create ongoing supply chain challenges.
The global demand for raw materials for batteries such as nickel, graphite and lithium is projected to increase in 2040 by 20, 19 and 14 times, respectively, compared to 2020. China will continue to be the major supplier of battery-grade raw materials over 2030, even though global supply of these materials will be increasingly diversified.
Ensuring a reliable supply of critical battery raw materials will be crucial to the global push to net-zero, especially with demand for battery electric vehicles (BEV) picking up pace towards the end of this decade, a new report by McKinsey finds.
We are deeply committed to excellence in all our endeavors.
Since we maintain control over our products, our customers can be assured of nothing but the best quality at all times.