Understanding the Non-Collision Related Battery Safety Risks in Electric Vehicles a Case Study in Electric Vehicle Recalls and the LG Chem Battery

• Main Authors: Ryan Aalund, Weiping Diao, Lingxi Kong, Michael Pecht
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 2021-01-01
• Series: IEEE Access
• Subjects: Electric vehicles; Li-ion batteries; exothermic event; reliability and risk; safety
• Online Access: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9458284/

Electric vehicles (EV) are considered the future of the automobile industry due to their high energy conversion efficiency and environmental friendliness. However, there are safety risks associated with Li-ion batteries, including the potential for fires and explosions. This paper reviews the challenges facing the electric vehicle market regarding the implementation of Li-ion batteries. It then presents two case studies of electric vehicles that experienced safety-related recalls which were not associated with vehicle collisions. For comparison, a history of Li-ion battery safety issues from the same brand in other applications than EV and the company’s reactions are provided. The case study and review of issues in other applications show a lack of consideration for customer safety, amplified by the additional risk used in an EV. The paper then explores corrective actions performed and analyzes how the actions will not address the root cause; additionally, contributing to a performance reduction. Recommended corrective actions for future implementation of EV batteries are provided.