Preliminary Feasibility Study of Lithium Ion Battery Safety (PreLIBS)

"**The Faraday Challenge (FC) Round 2 is designed to support the creation of a viable UK electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain with an emphasis on safety of Lithium Ion Batteries (LIBs). A major known concern relating to the use, transportation and storage of LIBs is the need to ""eliminate _thermal runaway_ risks for enhanced safety"". PreLIBS (Preliminary feasibility study into Lithium Ion Battery Safety) aims to develop an understanding of key areas linked to this area. The study will act as a precursor for further research.**

It is envisaged that the industrial benefits would include:

* Manufacturers taking Lithium-Ion battery safety responsibly and benefiting from enhanced solutions to address Thermal Runaway and subsequent Thermal Propagation mitigation strategies
* The ability to predictively model fire propagation would allow the optimisation of solutions -- delivering lighter weight and lower cost without reducing safety
* Encouragement of an increased uptake of EVs, providing greater efficiencies in use over ICEs
* UK LIB safety testing at HSL would give UK manufacturers an early advantage in taking these technologies to market

**The PreLIBS team is made up of a consortium with members from Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), Health and Executive, Science Division (HSL), Warwick Fire, Potenza Technology, Lifeline Fire and Safety Systems Ltd (Lifeline) and 3M UK PLC (3M); knowledge and expertise would be pooled to navigate the challenge. A review of existing literature would be conducted with a focus on Standards & Regulations. Data from a preliminary body of test and modelling work, which would provide initial guidance for sensing and mitigation solutions, considering a variety of potential materials.****Key deliverables from the PreLIBS study would include:**

* **Guidance on navigating and evidence to inform the standards**
* **Analysis of sensing and detection methods**
* **Evaluation of material effects in thermal runaway**
* **Cell and cell group data to inform modelling and material design**

**Industry, including battery manufacturers and organisations using batteries in their products, is actively seeking information about how to integrate battery safety into their products, processes, and procedures. These concerns need to be addressed now to ensure that safety issues do not become barriers to the effective and safe deployment of LIB technology for EVs.**"