Technology: Freudenberg meets China EV flame standard

Plymouth, Michigan – Freudenberg NOK Sealing Technologies has tapped the company’s aerospace materials knowledge to develop a new silicone-based material that meets the flammability standard for electric vehicles (EVs) in China.

The material, said Freudenberg 28 Nov, has been custom-made for an unnamed OEM for vehicles to be used in China.

The Chinese standard for EVs requires materials to immediately self-extinguish after being exposed to a flame.

The stringent flammability standard, to come into force by 2020, also requires EV battery packs to withstand and contain a flame without spreading to the rest of the vehicle for five minutes.

The project involved collaboration between the company’s sealing scientists in Michigan and engineers for aerospace materials in Canada.

“We were able to significantly shorten the product development cycle for our customer by leveraging our aerospace portfolio and expertise,” said Todd Blair, Freudenberg-NOK business development manager in Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada.

As EV producers introduce more powerful, quicker-charging and longer-life batteries, heat and temperature are going to become bigger issues.

And the aerospace industry has a headstart in dealing with such challenges, noted Blair, adding: “We have more material expertise than most in developing solutions that address them.”

According to Blair, with the introduction of new e-mobility safety regulations, demand will increase for materials that address flammability, thermal protection and fireproof requirements in EV components.