" Battery Safety Takes Top Priority ! " In a recent keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 11th Philippines Electric Vehicle Summit, Dr. Keke, Chairman of Henan Kenergy New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (referred to as ' Kenergy New Energy '), underscored the paramount importance of prioritizing safety. The title of his speech was " The Application of High-Performance, High-Safety pouch cell Batteries in the Light Electric Vehicle Sector."
From October 15th to 22nd, Kenergy New Energy, as a member of the China Power Battery Application Branch, sent a delegation led by their subsidiary, Kelan New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. to the Philippines. They engaged in extensive discussions and exchanges with representatives from the Philippines' Energy and Transportation Departments, electric vehicle companies, and energy-related entities. This visit aimed to gain in-depth insights into the development of the new energy industry in the Philippines. They were also invited to participate in the 11th Philippines Electric Vehicle Summit and roundtable forums, showcasing their latest technologies and products.
Established in 2020, Kenergy New Energy, a relatively new player in the battery industry with less than four years of development, received high attention from various departments within the Philippine government and the local industry. Behind this attention lies the global influence of China's lithium battery industry in terms of technology, products, and industrial collaboration. It's worth noting that Kenergy New Energy's primary focus is on the electric light vehicle sector, where they are making their foray into the Southeast Asian market with high-performance and high-safety pouch cell batteries.
"Needle Puncture Test" verifies the high safety of Chinese lithium-ion batteries.
During a roundtable discussion at the summit, the host posed a question to Dr. Keke, Chairman of Henan Kenergy New Energy asking, "How can battery-related fires be prevented?" In response, Dr. Keke first analyzed the recent causes of electric vehicle fires. He pointed out that traditional batteries for light electric vehicles are primarily lead-acid batteries, which are heavy and have low energy density, leaving ample room for improvement. Batteries with high energy density and long cycle life, such as lithium batteries, can compete with lead-acid batteries. However, Dr. Keke emphasized that current lithium batteries do not possess a competitive edge over lead-acid batteries in terms of cost and safety. This has led to various irregularities and a gray industry chain within the sector, resulting in frequent safety incidents that have had a significant impact on the industry's overall development.
Dr. Keke stressed that while accidents are undeniably present, technology is continuously advancing, and lithium batteries can achieve both high safety and cost-effectiveness. He recommended the prompt establishment of relevant industry standards to enhance safety measures, accelerating the development of high-safety products from a product perspective, and strengthening regulatory oversight at the societal level. Furthermore, regarding the collaborative development of the global electric vehicle industry chain, Dr. Keke expressed his hope for international cooperation in areas such as low-carbon compensation, local assembly, and interoperable standards for different vehicle models to reduce the electrification cost of electric vehicles.
In terms of products, Mr. Keke emphasized the paramount importance of battery safety. Currently, lithium manganese oxide and lithium iron phosphate soft pack batteries demonstrate a noticeable advantage in terms of safety and cost, especially in low-speed vehicle applications, including two-wheelers, three-wheelers, low-speed four-wheelers, special electric vehicles, and regional logistics vehicles.
The "needle penetration test" is widely recognized in the industry as the "Mount Everest" of electric vehicle battery safety testing. Dr. Keke highlighted that lithium manganese oxide batteries and lithium iron phosphate pouch cell batteries, after undergoing needle penetration tests, maintain normal discharging capabilities without igniting or exploding, showcasing excellent safety performance.
How will these new soft pack batteries, tailored for the light electric vehicle sector, venture into the Southeast Asian market?
The significant growth of the new energy vehicle industry has substantially enhanced lithium battery technology, resulting in continued cost reduction, providing a solid foundation for lithium batteries to enter the light electric vehicle market. Unlike electric cars, the light electric vehicle sector has less stringent requirements for battery size, weight, and energy density.
Battery performance and energy density predominantly depend on the positive and negative electrode materials. Presently, material systems primarily consist of ternary, lithium manganese oxide, and lithium iron phosphate, while packaging forms mainly include cylindrical, square, and pouch cell designs.
Dr. Keke explained that different battery materials can be adopted for various applications and regions. Kenergy New Energy comprehensively evaluates batteries in terms of cost, quality, and safety. In the light electric vehicle sector, they have chosen lithium manganese oxide pouch cell batteries as the core product, with lithium iron phosphate pouch cell batteries providing supplementary support.
In their recent exhibition in the Philippines, Kelan New Energy showcased their new series of high-safety, cold-resistant, high-powered, and long-lasting pure lithium manganese oxide pouch cell batteries, alongside lithium iron phosphate series products, as they make their debut in the Southeast Asian market. Kelan New Energy's exhibition not only featured light electric vehicle batteries but also displayed their research and development achievements in portable outdoor mobile power sources and home energy storage applications.
