FYI: Prestone is innovating with low-conductivity coolants set to revolutionize electric vehicle (EV) efficiency.
Prestone’s Groundbreaking Work on Low-Conductivity EV Coolants
Automotive chemical pioneer Prestone is currently spearheading the development of a low-conductivity coolant engineered specifically for electric vehicles (EVs), which could significantly enhance their efficiency.
Current Coolant Practices and Prestone’s Vision
Presently, both internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and EVs, including popular models like Teslas, employ ethylene glycol as a cooling fluid. However, Prestone has significantly increased its research and development budget over the past year to explore alternatives. According to Tom Corrigan, Prestone’s EV Director, the industry is on the verge of a paradigm shift.
"Essentially, EVs are borrowing the internal combustion engine fluid," Corrigan noted. "We are going to see a shift in that in the next one to two years."
Testing and Future Plans
In recent months, Prestone has been rigorously testing its innovative low-conductivity coolants in Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles at its technology center located in Danbury, Connecticut. The initial rollout of these new coolants is projected to be about two years away and will still be based on ethylene glycol. However, Corrigan hinted that petroleum-based dielectric coolants might eventually become the standard.
Coolants and Battery Chemistry
The choice of coolant is expected to depend heavily on the specific battery chemistry used. EV batteries, such as lithium-iron phosphate (LFP), solid-state, and nickel manganese cobalt variants, each may require distinct cooling formulations. Tesla, for instance, currently utilizes a phosphate- and nitrate-free ethylene glycol-based coolant in their systems.
Challenges with Ethylene Glycol
Ethylene glycol tends to ionize over time through interactions with materials like metals and plastics found inside EV systems. This ionization process results in the fluid acquiring electrons, which inadvertently reduces the overall efficiency of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). The change in coolant chemistry is also driven by safety necessitations. Ethylene glycol’s current corrosion inhibitors, used in ICE coolants, are not ideal for BEVs.
"Those ionize in the fluid and carry an electrical charge. If you have an issue where high-conductivity coolant contacts high-voltage electronics or the battery, it can lead to fire," Corrigan states. "So what we are working on is low-conductivity coolant."
Technical Specifications and Industry Requirements
Scientists measure the electrical conductivity of coolants in microsiemens per centimeter. Traditional gas-powered vehicles exhibit a conductivity range of 3,000 to 5,000 microsiemens per centimeter, which is considered highly conductive but non-issue for gas engines. In contrast, BEV manufacturers are now setting much stricter requirements.
"BEV makers are asking for a coolant with just 100 microsiemens per centimeter," Corrigan explains. "While other fuel cell vehicles may require coolant conductivity levels as low as 0.5 to 1.5 microsiemens."
Expanding Research Efforts
To accommodate this ambitious endeavor, Prestone has not only increased its R&D budget but also expanded its scientific team by adding five more experts dedicated exclusively to developing specialized coolants for BEVs and fuel cells.
"We see where the future is going with EV coolants, and we want to be ready when the manufacturers are ready," Corrigan asserts.
Conclusion
Prestone’s proactive approach in developing low-conductivity coolants could usher in a new era of efficiency and safety in the EV market. As manufacturers continue to innovate, Prestone’s pioneering efforts indicate a promising future for the automotive industry’s evolution towards more sustainable and efficient technologies.
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William Kouch, Editor of Automotive.fyi
