Blue Solutions and AVL test solid-state battery safety
Blue Solutions and AVL have completed a joint development programme to assess the safety of a new generation of solid-state batteries. The work focused on cell behaviour under high stress, preventing thermal propagation and preparing the technology for series production.
French solid-state battery developer Blue Solutions and Austrian engineering specialist AVL have completed a joint safety assessment of Blue Solutions’ next-generation battery cells. The programme focused on identifying and mitigating potential risks ahead of the technology’s industrial-scale production.
To support the assessment, the partners combined Blue Solutions’ cell technology with AVL’s simulation, testing and validation expertise. The programme examined cell behaviour under increasing internal pressure, mechanical stability, and a range of stress and failure scenarios.
Blue Solutions’ next-generation solid-state battery uses a lithium-metal anode, among other new technologies. Compared with today’s lithium-ion cells, this cell design promises higher energy density but also introduces new engineering challenges, particularly in managing internal cell pressure and designing the mechanical structure of the overall battery system.
A key focus of the programme was thermal propagation, the spread of a thermal event from a defective or overheated cell to neighbouring cells. In the worst case, such a failure can trigger a chain reaction throughout the battery pack. According to Blue Solutions and AVL, the programme demonstrated that this risk can be reduced through simulation-based development, pressure-optimised cell design and a safety-oriented battery system architecture.
The partners said the simulation and validation results were positive and consistent. According to the joint announcement, the technology complies with key requirements of China’s mandatory GB 38031-2020 battery safety standard. The regulation defines safety requirements for traction batteries used in electric vehicles and includes testing at the cell, battery pack and system levels.
“Working with Blue Solutions’ latest solid-state battery technology is a significant step forward for AVL,” said Paul Schiffbänker, Director of Battery Development at AVL. “It not only deepens our understanding of the specific safety characteristics of this next-generation chemistry, but also actively drives the further development of our safety methodologies and battery design solutions.”
At the same time, the partners aim to preserve the cells’ high energy density. Blue Solutions and AVL are targeting a volumetric energy density up to 25 per cent higher than comparable battery packs based on NMC lithium-ion cells, allowing more energy to be stored within the same installation space. They also expect gravimetric energy density, which measures energy storage relative to battery weight, to improve by 13 per cent.
“From advanced simulation-based prediction models to new validation and assessment approaches, this collaboration enables us to systematically embed safety into the development of future high-energy battery systems from the very beginning,” Schiffbänker added.
Olivier Caumont, Battery Systems Director at Blue Solutions, sees the programme as confirmation of the concept’s market readiness. “[AVL’s] vision and mastery in multiple sectors, combined with our extensive manufacturing experience in solid-state batteries manufacturing and pack integration, including the safety, thermal or mechanical aspects, has enabled us to confirm that our solution is fully aligned with market needs and capable of fulfilling the most stringent safety requirements.”
Blue Solutions is currently developing the fourth generation of its solid-state battery technology. The company is already working with several partners to evaluate potential applications and plans to commercialise the technology for passenger cars by the end of the decade. The findings from the joint safety programme will be presented at international conferences and battery industry events.