The electric vehicle industry is facing a persistent challenge: battery fires. Now, Chinese battery manufacturer Svolt claims to have made a significant breakthrough in battery safety with its new Dragon Armor 3.0 technology, designed to physically separate the risk of fire from the electrical components of the battery pack. The innovation, announced on , aims to prevent thermal runaway events from escalating into cabin-threatening fires.
Fire and Electricity Separation
The core of Svolt’s Dragon Armor 3.0 lies in what the company terms “fire-electricity separation.” Traditional EV battery designs often place electrical terminals and pressure relief channels in close proximity. In the event of thermal runaway – a rapid, uncontrolled increase in temperature within a battery cell – these designs can allow flames to spread quickly, potentially compromising the passenger compartment. Svolt’s approach physically isolates these two critical areas. The positive terminal is positioned on one side of the battery module, while the pressure relief channel, designed to vent hot gases and flames, is located on the opposite side. Each has its own dedicated path.
According to Svolt, this separation ensures that any flames generated during thermal runaway are directed downwards and outwards, away from the vehicle’s interior. This is a departure from existing designs and represents, the company asserts, a first in the EV industry. The design is intended to buy valuable time for passengers to evacuate and for emergency responders to arrive.
Cell-to-Chassis Integration and Performance Gains
Beyond fire safety, the Dragon Armor 3.0 also focuses on improving battery performance and integration. Svolt claims the new battery is the first to achieve compatibility with both Cell-to-Chassis (CTC) and Cell-to-Body (CTB) integration technologies, while maintaining thermal management separation. CTC and CTB designs integrate the battery pack directly into the vehicle’s chassis or body, eliminating the need for a separate battery module housing. This can lead to weight savings and increased structural rigidity.
The company reports that the Dragon Armor 3.0 achieves a increase in energy density of between 7% and 10% for the same package size, and a 5mm increase in cell height. The battery’s construction is also designed to enhance durability, with the top of the cell able to withstand force and the bottom providing pressure relief and collision protection.
Enhanced Safety Metrics
Svolt has released a series of metrics demonstrating the improved safety characteristics of the Dragon Armor 3.0. The battery exhibits an 8°C increase in self-heating temperature, a 10% increase in safety buffer time (the time before critical temperature is reached), and a 5°C increase in the thermal runaway initiation temperature. Perhaps most significantly, Svolt claims a 25% reduction in the probability of thermal runaway occurring in the first place.
Liquid-Solid State Technology
These improvements are further enhanced when combined with liquid-solid state battery technology, according to Svolt. While details regarding the specific liquid-solid state chemistry were not provided, the combination appears to be a key component of the overall safety and performance gains.
Production and Vehicle Applications
Svolt plans to begin mass production of two Dragon Armor 3.0 variants. An 86 kWh version is targeted at plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), while a larger 115 kWh version is designed for full-electric models. The company has not yet announced which vehicle manufacturers will be the first to adopt the technology, or specific timelines for vehicle availability.
Addressing a Key EV Concern
The development of the Dragon Armor 3.0 comes at a critical time for the EV industry. Concerns about battery safety have lingered, fueled by widely circulated videos of EV fires. While statistically, EVs are not more prone to fires than gasoline-powered vehicles, the nature of EV battery fires – often requiring specialized extinguishing techniques and posing a risk of reignition – has heightened public anxiety. Svolt’s innovation directly addresses this concern by focusing on containment and prevention, potentially alleviating a significant barrier to wider EV adoption.
The success of the Dragon Armor 3.0 will depend on real-world performance and independent verification of Svolt’s claims. However, the company’s focus on physically separating fire and electrical components represents a potentially significant step forward in EV battery safety, and could set a new standard for the industry.
