Axalta unveils two coatings designed for EV battery heat protection

Axalta Coating Systems now offers two battery coatings engineered for extreme heat protection and better electrical insulation in electric vehicle battery applications, according to a press release.

Alesta e-PRO FG Black and Alesta e-PRO Dielectric Gray were unveiled Monday at The Battery Show North America in Detroit, Michigan.

“While electric vehicles are statistically far less likely to catch fire than gasoline-powered vehicles, high-profile incidents and misinformation continue to impact public perception,” said Robert Roop, Axalta’s senior vice president and chief technology officer, in the release. “These breakthrough products demonstrate the amazing power of coatings to rise to new challenges and reflect Axalta’s proven history of innovating products that impact the world for the better.”

The release notes that thermal runaway in EV batteries remains a rare yet serious risk that can lead to fires, explosions, and structural failure.

“When one battery cell overheats, it can trigger a chain reaction, rapidly releasing extreme heat, flames, and smoke at temperatures exceeding 1200 degrees Celsius,” the release says.

However, when applied as part of a validated OEM battery system, Axalta’s new coatings may contribute to improved thermal stability and electrical insulation performance.

When asked what is considered a validated OEM battery system, Axalta told Repairer Driven News that it varies by OEM.

“Every OEM has a different battery pack design for safety considerations, use of different substrates, different fire protection material combinations, and different testing protocol,” said Katie McCall, Axalta’s global corporate affairs vice president. “When considering using FG Black, the product may be used in different parts of the pack to achieve different desired outcomes for safety in combination with the validated design they choose and the test methods they approve.”

Alesta e-PRO FG Black is a premium powder coating engineered for thermal stability and secondary fire protection in EV battery systems, according to the release. It’s designed to resist ignition, expansion, and smoke generation at extreme temperatures up to 1200 degrees Celsius.

Axalta says key design features include:

• • “Thermal integrity maintained under direct flame and extreme heat (600–1200 degrees Celsius);
  • “Zero smoke emission at high temperatures; and
  • “Strong corrosion protection for standalone or enhanced protection over electrocoated substrates.”

Alesta e-PRO Dielectric Gray is a premium epoxy-based powder coating designed to provide robust electrical insulation in high-voltage environments, such as EV battery packs and stationary energy storage systems, the release says. Axalta has found that the coating delivers excellent hipot test yield, improving reliability.

According to Axalta, key design features include:

• • “Industry-leading edge coverage ensuring consistent electrical insulation and high hipot pass rates;
  • “High flexibility accommodating complex geometries with reduced risk of cracking;
  • “Superior lap shear strength for enhanced structural integrity under applied stress; and
  • “Passes 6KV hipot for dielectric performance.”

“Alesta e-PRO products have undergone rigorous testing for electrical insulation and thermal protection,” the release says. “The Dielectric Gray has been tested for UL 94 V0 and IEC 60243-1, amongst several others. The FG Black product has been tested for direct flame exposure, single-cell thermal runaway, and UL 2596 TaG tests. When exposed to direct flame at 1200 degrees Celsius, Axalta’s Alesta e-PRO FG Black produces no smoke and does not catch fire during thermal events.”

Roop added, “Our customers are looking for technologies that can withstand extreme environments and support their efforts to build safe and reliable battery systems. These new coatings reflect our commitment to innovation and to partnering with customers to meet the challenges of next-generation mobility.”

The coatings are designed for global automotive manufacturers that produce EVs, while several leading OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are currently conducting additional testing based on their specific designs and pre-production part approval processes, the release says.

Images

Featured image provided by Axalta.

At the 2025 The Battery Show, held in Detroit, Michigan, from Oct. 6-9, Axalta unveiled two coating products to support improved battery safety in EVs. (Provided by Axalta)