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SAFETY OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES

PREVENTING CONSEQUENCES OF THERMAL EVENTS IN BATTERIES

Time: Fri 2024-04-05 12.15 - 13.00

Participating: Annika Ahlberg Tidblad, Volvo Cars

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Seminar description

Electricity powered vehicles (EV’s) are becoming very popular and could play a key role in achieving lower CO2 and fossil emissions. However, some are concerned by the safety of batteries. Indeed, there are many witnesses of scooters and other devices exploding during charge. Lithium-ion battery is in general a highly energetic mixture of various components.

Most often, safety incidents start with one of the cells heating up beyond normal levels (thermal event), and this leads to fast propagation. Reasons could be numerous, such as: short circuits of various types, mechanical abuse, construction defects (cell design, improper heat dissipation system), composition of battery, extreme operating conditions (overcharge, overcurrent, exposure to toxic chemicals).

However, actually fires in EV are much less common than in fossil fuel vehicles. This is due to a very careful design of the battery itself, its management system, detectors and security measures. In this seminar, Annika Ahlberg-Tidblad from Volvo Cars will provide you with valuable insights on the topic. Moreover, you will have the answers to the following questions:

  • What conditions are needed for safe operation of an EV Li-ion battery?
  • What processes cause batteries to heat up and why could this lead to explosion?
  • How to minimise risks of thermal events: battery composition, design, management system

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Biography

woman talking

Dr. Annika Ahlberg Tidblad has been working for 6 years at Volvo Cars corporation, and is currently the technical leader for battery safety and legislation. She has been specialising in applied electrochemistry and received Doctor of Technology degree in corrosion science at KTH in 1999. Recently, she has become Docent in organic chemistry and was giving lectures at Uppsala University. Annika has work experience at high positions as battery engineer in various companies like Scania, Etteplan, Volvo, and others. She is also board member of the SEK Svensk Elstandard, a governmental commission that aims to elaborate rules and quality standards in electric technology production.

Connection to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG7 – Affordable and clean energy
SDG9- Industry innovation and infrastructure
SDG13 – Climate action.

Contact: 

Annika Ahlberg Tidblad, Volvo Cars, Annika.ahlberg.tidblad@volvocars.com

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