Recently, car consumers are most concerned about flames that burn hot and fast. 

Michael Magda, the battalion commander of the Livonia Fire Service, recently stated: “Fires in electric vehicles can cause a series of problems.” “For internal combustion engines, these fires are not caused by gasoline. They are usually caused by electrical failures. Caused by heating, melting something and causing a fire. But in electric vehicles, these metals will be "thermally out of control"-they burn and quickly spread to the battery tray."

The key to safety is to contain fires and contain heat. 

It's not just this year's $1.9 billion recall of 2017-22 Chevrolet Bolts' defective batteries, which resulted in 13 confirmed car fires and many parking lots banning Bolts from entering all parts of the country.

This is not just a safety strike by the Chinese government this year. It clearly requires that the car battery system "do not catch fire or explode within five minutes after the battery is out of control, and reserve a safe escape time for the occupants."

It is estimated that by 2024, Chinese consumers will occupy more than half of the US$500 billion electric vehicle market, and they are fighting air pollution. The government is developing incentives aimed at stimulating the design, production and adoption of zero-emission all-electric vehicles. China is now enacting strict regulations on all-electric vehicles. 

At the same time, automakers are trying to figure out how to meet stringent new requirements, including electrical safety, warning signs, collision protection and flame retardants. 

Now, a global company with a team in Wixom is answering the phone.

If adopted, it can avoid future battery crises and potentially save lives.

Imagine an aluminum tray the size of a double mattress. The tray and its cover form a box with battery modules inside and battery cells inside the module. These components provide the energy that drives the vehicle.

But if the battery fails, aluminum will conduct energy.

This combination can fuel the fire. 

When a battery fails, chemists and engineers refer to it as a "thermal event." Thermal events inevitably lead to flame burning or control-or "thermal runaway".

Because this chemical-fueled superheat can quickly burn through aluminum, GE Plastics' predecessor company created a prototype plastic tray with a plastic cover that can withstand temperatures as hot as lava.

Tests have shown that the plastic can withstand 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

"People would think that thermoplastics will burn or melt like candles, but we have developed a new type of thermoplastic that does not burn, melt and self-extinguish," said Dave Sullivan, SABIC electrification and engineering market developer in Saudi Arabia. Offices around the world.

"Our chemists have developed unique formulas that do not affect strength, reliability or safety. These new materials are the first new materials to be put into production in China, which has the most stringent regulations on the safety of electric vehicles."

This innovative design is led by SABIC's automotive team, which is collaborating with engineers in Detroit, Germany, the Netherlands, China, France, South Korea and Japan. 

The leader of their project is a battery expert who has worked with NASA, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

"China's new regulations have really brought a curveball to this industry," Sullivan said. "When the Chinese government raised this point, there was no material that could meet the requirements of the regulations."

His team is currently negotiating with domestic and foreign automakers to develop a protective box that can reduce vehicle cost and vehicle weight and improve safety.

The lighter the car, the less energy it needs. The less energy it needs, the farther the battery can be charged. This is the snowball effect. The biggest victory is the security component.

"This is the deal: so far, everything is metal. Everyone is working hard to reduce the cost of electric vehicles," said John McElroy, a long-time industry observer in Northville, who is the podcast and network of "Autoline After Hours" The host of the broadcast.

Currently, SABIC provides flame-retardant polypropylene battery pack covers for Honda's vehicles sold in China to protect the batteries. It provides a fire barrier between the battery unit and the carriage.

This new project-a huge plastic battery box-is based on this technology. As we said, it is brand new and under development. It can be purchased and used as early as 2022, but it is more likely to be in 2024. Domestic and foreign automakers are evaluating whether this is worth adopting. 

In order to test the science, SABIC purchased a Volkswagen all-electric ID.4 compact SUV to disassemble the battery pack, weigh and analyze all the components, and design a plastic battery box to enter the vehicle as a proof of concept.

"This means we can do this because everyone says we can't do it," Sullivan said, noting that discussions with several automakers are in progress and are currently conducting their own analysis of plastic materials and technologies.

"No one has ever made such a large part from thermoplastic in a vehicle," he said. "Not only do we have to completely rethink the way thermoplastic parts are made, but we must also consider fire safety and the restrictions that meet global regulations and consumer expectations."

Now, the company is developing new manufacturing methods for the part.

Their chemists and product engineers have experience.

This company with a market value of $50 billion basically manufactures everything you come into contact with. Only $2 billion of its business is in the automotive business. The rest range from petrochemical products you find in house paint and washing powder, to windshield washer fluid, plastic straws, transparent sneeze guards in restaurants, and sportswear.

Sullivan said that this latest effort in the automotive sector is part of the overall trend.

The headlight was once made of glass, and now it is made of polycarbonate plastic made by SABIC. The fuel tank that was once made of steel is made of plastic. The bumper is too.

"Bulletproof glass and bulletproof vests are not made of aluminum or steel," Sullivan pointed out. The original battery pack designed in GM EV1 is made of plastic.

"Somehow, we forgot everything we learned 25 years ago," he said. "Glass-filled polypropylene was used on the GM EV1, and now it's back, it uses a new and improved chemical that helps withstand high temperatures and fires."

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Most electric vehicles sold in the United States and Europe today lack fire protection against thermal events. Fast charging will put pressure on the vehicle. Sullivan said that adding fireproof materials to aluminum or steel battery packs or modules will only increase cost and weight.

"The temperature at which the battery catches fire will exceed 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Except for our materials, it will melt everything in its path," he said. "Our material is used for the structural support behind the dashboard and used to make the tailgates of today's vehicles. It can do the job. It is also easy to recycle and has a lower carbon footprint than aluminum."

The plastics company is beginning the design phase of Volkswagen ID.4 components.

"We will use this project to build a completely flame-retardant plastic battery pack and put it into the ID.4 we purchased to prove to the entire industry that thermoplastics can meet the challenge," Sullivan said. "Safety is of the utmost importance. Any thermal event in electric vehicles may hinder large-scale investments by automakers worldwide. Think of it as a seat belt for battery packs. You hope you never have to use it, but you know it It's safe there."

A Volkswagen spokesperson declined to comment on the project.

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When auto industry analysts heard about the plastic battery box project, they were skeptical. But when they learned the identities of the relevant players, their tone changed.

Knowing about SABIC’s reputation, he said: “Of course I’m more inclined to believe that they have something legal than some startups that have no experience and have been forging before they succeed,” said Sam Abuelsamid, market intelligence based in Washington, DC The chief analyst of the company Guidehouse Insights. "These guys are more likely to have the real thing."

Edwin Pope, principal analyst at IHS Markit, said that the idea of ​​a plastic box that protects the battery "is a welcome innovation in terms of weight reduction, and it certainly contributes to safety."

He said that this material polypropylene is already very common in vehicles. "There is this weird situation in terms of strength and plastics and how you build the fiber. According to our predictions, most of the battery box itself is expected to be made of aluminum. By switching to polymers, you can reduce the weight of the battery box 30%. Polymer-based battery cases have many safety advantages." 

Industry analysts pointed out that the United States is lagging behind in safety regulation in fast-growing industries. They say that design plays a key role.

Adam Halsband, General Manager of Forward Engineering North America, based in Royal Oak, said that the battery case is one of the most complex subsystems in today's all-electric vehicles. This is a global design and engineering company that cooperates with the industry to develop new products. "It takes millions of dollars to design, develop and verify new products. Many people are pursuing battery cases."

Halsband said that SABIC dismantled Volkswagen to prove its effective proactive approach "is bold." "So shamelessly thinking that you will redesign and use the power of your own materials to provide better solutions? This is driving all chips. This is unique."

SABIC stands for Saudi Basic Industries Corporation and is a subsidiary of the state-owned oil and gas company Aramco. Over the years, it has established a relationship with Detroit and is committed to diversifying its investment portfolio.

Jason Levine, Executive Director of the Center for Automotive Safety in Washington, D.C., said: “Anything that can provide vehicle occupants with precious seconds to escape from a car fire is worth exploring, but now is the best time to minimize potential risks. In electric vehicles. This kind of incident."

Levine expressed disappointment that federal regulators have done little to develop safety enforcement guidelines. He pointed out that General Motors, Kia and Hyundai recalled cars after a series of fires, but Tesla chose not to do so. 

Levine said that now is the time to take steps to instill confidence.

According to Xinmin Evening News, in January this year, Chinese media reported that a Tesla Model 3 sedan caught fire when it entered a Shanghai parking lot. It burned very hot, leaving a charred metal shell. According to BusinessInsider.com, an investigation revealed damage to the landing gear and battery.

Tesla has previously released wireless updates to limit the voltage and limit the charging speed in an attempt to solve the fire problem. In May of this year, Reuters reported that Tesla has strengthened its government affairs team in China to focus on regulators. 

This month, Tesla announced record profits directly related to its success in China. 

Sandy Munro is an automotive engineer and a consultant for the SABIC project. He runs Munro & Associates, a company based in Auburn Hills that NASA once called the Innovation Factory. This place is a combination of auto parts, engineering and science-like a cool field trip for a science nerd.

"The idea of ​​plastic, using composite plastic and glass, makes more sense," he said. "It weighs only about half of aluminum. Therefore, half of the weight is equivalent to more mileage."

Munro said that at this time, automakers need to speed up decision-making to adapt to manufacturing needs that far exceed their early plans.

"The major automakers didn't really take this matter seriously. Now they have to take it seriously because crossovers are coming much faster than they thought," said Munro, who has worked at Ford for ten years. “Today’s 12-year-old kids don’t want to have a smelly internal combustion engine. They don’t like the smell of gasoline. They don’t like the idea that they are polluting the earth. They don’t like to want to be like their parents. This is where the big car companies really fail. They didn’t talk to the children...They wanted to create the future. We are not.”

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Sullivan said that the automotive industry knows how to use diesel locomotives to keep people safe. "The electric vehicle market is equivalent to the Wild West. Innovation happens faster than regulation. Some automakers want to be a leader in safety, which is what we want." 

More: A simple cardboard box design saves the automotive industry millions of dollars: "Awesome"

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid. Read more about Ford and sign up for our automotive newsletter.