At CES 2024, amidst the usual showcase of cutting-edge technologies, one particular demonstration by Taiwanese battery company Xing Mobility stood out – a partially blown-up battery pack. This unconventional showcase aimed to highlight the resilience and safety features of Xing Mobility’s innovative battery technology. The company subjected its battery packs to a three-needle test, puncturing three cells with nails, resulting in controlled explosions. What impressed observers was the speed at which the explosions were contained, with temperatures reaching 1,400 degrees Celsius (2,550 degrees Fahrenheit) and returning to normal within 30 seconds. Xing Mobility’s secret weapon lies in immersing the battery cells in a nonconductive lubricant made from petroleum. This lubricant, in direct contact with the entire surface of every battery cell, facilitates quicker and more effective cooling.
The company envisions this technology as a game-changer for electric vehicles, promising lighter, safer, and longer-lasting batteries. Xing Mobility, initially focused on building an electric race car, discovered parallels between race car design and the demands placed on specialty vehicles like tractors. Leveraging this insight, Xing Mobility is collaborating with manufacturers to implement its immersion cooling technology in trucks and tractors. Beyond safety, the immersion technology offers additional advantages, including reducing temperature fluctuations during battery cycles, potentially extending the lifespan of batteries and preserving their capacity over time. Xing Mobility is currently conducting long-term tests to validate the efficacy of its immersion cooling tech, with early results showing promise. This technology not only enhances safety features but also allows for more compact and lighter battery designs, offering flexibility in arranging cells, even attaching them directly to a vehicle’s chassis.
