In the process of new energy vehicles evolving towards higher energy density, ultra-fast charging, and ultimate safety, aerogel, as the "king of insulation", is accelerating its penetration into the power system from the aerospace and military industries. This revolutionary material, with its nanoscale porous structure (porosity > 90%), achieves superior insulation performance 10 times better than traditional ceramics at an ultra-light density of 3 kg/m³, becoming a key material for solving problems such as battery thermal runaway and motor overheating.
The following presents some cases of how some new energy brand vehicles apply aerogel in their battery packs:
1. Xiaomi Automobiles
Xiaomi SU7 Ultra: The upcoming SU7 Ultra, to be released in 2025, is equipped with the globally首发 Ningde Time Kirin II battery pack， which is one of the most powerful production battery packs available. The battery cells of Xiaomi SU7 Ultra are covered with 170 ultra-thin 1mm aerogel， and the entire insulation layer can withstand a 1200°C flame for up to 15 minutes. Xiaomi SU7： The standard version of Xiaomi SU7 released last year is equipped with the Fudi (BYD subsidiary) Blade Battery， while the Pro and Max versions are equipped with the Ningde Time Shengxing Battery and Kirin Battery. The insulation protection between battery cells uses 165 sheets of aerogel.
2. Huawei Automobiles
Erevan M9 Pure Electric： The new Huawei Erevan M9 pure electric model released at the end of 2023 adopts five-layer thermal safety protection (high-temperature mica plate， insulating mica sheet， aerospace-grade insulation aerogel， nanoscale ceramic insulation layer， ultra-thin liquid cooling cooling system) for battery safety. It supports no open flame after battery thermal runaway within 30 minutes and achieves millisecond-level high-voltage disconnection after a collision through 16 safety point sensor systems.
Zhijie S7： On the evening of November 9， 2023， Huawei released the Zhijie S7 and opened pre-sale. Zhijie is a co-branded vehicle brand of Huawei and Chery. This car is equipped with the "Juejing" battery platform， featuring the industry's thinnest 800V high-voltage battery pack， with a thickness of only 117mm， a 16.4% reduction compared to traditional solutions. The wiring is reduced by 80%. It also has five-layer thermal safety protection (high-temperature mica plate， insulating mica paper， aerospace-grade insulation aerogel， nanoscale ceramic insulation layer， and ultra-thin liquid cooling cooling system)， achieving active cooling and unobstructed exhaust. This 100-degree battery pack supports over 800 kilometers of ultra-long range.
3. Geely Automobiles
The forward-looking products of Geely Automobile Group have aerogel with superior insulation performance in high temperatures compared to aerogel materials.
ZEEKR Kirin Battery System： The intercell insulation uses a composite of aerogel and water-cooled plates. The ZEEKR 001 is equipped with a 100 kWh "Zike" battery pack， etc.， with a maximum CLTC range of up to 732 km. Especially the 2023 model ZEEKR 001 WE 100 kWh version， equipped with the CTP 3.0 Kirin Battery， has an actual CLTC range of up to 1032 km.
ZEEKR Shenxing Battery System， presumably aiming to be a hexagonal warrior， aims to achieve a better balance in terms of fast charging， range， and other aspects (although this balance has not been well achieved)， it also hopes to achieve a balance in volume integration efficiency， safety， and cost. The intercell design with a loop frame and aerogel has been optimized， using a non-integrated loop frame and an ultra-thin aerogel layer.
3. SAIC
Zhiai Automobiles： SAIC Group invests over 20 billion yuan annually in three-electricity safety and jointly develops a quasi-900V battery pack with Ningde Time. The battery pack uses high-nickel single crystal 6-series lithium-ion cells that are currently the optimal solution in the industry for balancing energy density and stability.
In terms of battery insulation materials， Zhiai uses nearly 200 sheets of aerospace-grade insulation aerogel， far exceeding the industry average， precisely controlling heat to specific areas without spreading； PSG phase change super material firewall, can withstand temperatures of 1000°C for more than 10 minutes, fireproof and flame-retardant, forging a solid and reliable "firewall".
4. Xiao Peng Auto
Xiao Peng Auto's 2023 model P7i, as well as G6 and G9, are all equipped with a 3mm aerogel insulation and fireproof layer.
New P7i: The full range thermal management efficiency of Xiao Peng's new P7i has been optimized, improving the battery's heat dissipation capacity by 160%, winter range by 15%, and zero-degree heating energy consumption by 35%. Moreover, the aerogel's insulation design also prevents the problem of thermal runaway, significantly enhancing the vehicle's safety. Battery safety is of utmost importance, and the battery pack's cells use a 3mm-thick aerogel, which can insulate without heat spread or open flames, and is combined with 80 additional layers of aerospace-grade aerogel, which can withstand temperatures exceeding 665°C for more than 20 minutes.
5. GAC Passenger Vehicle
GAZI New Energy E9: Equipped with Jujian Plug-in Hybrid Super Charging Battery. In addition to the fast charging speed, high safety is also an important feature of the Jujian Plug-in Hybrid dedicated super charging battery. It has unique safety protection technologies such as inter-cell aerogel separation and pressure relief channel misalignment design, and uses mica + insulation layer and high-temperature-resistant materials. In the super charging series models of GAZI E9, Jujian Techno has conducted a large number of safety designs and tests, including cell level, group level, liquid cooling system, BMS, and overall package design, to ensure that the battery does not pose safety hazards during charging and vehicle operation.
6. NIO NIO ET7
2024 model NIO ET7 and 150 kWh battery pack official range test has been completed. The 2024 model ET7 with a 150 kWh battery pack has achieved a range of over 1000 kilometers on three different highway routes. NIO ET7 implants a 1mm-thick CFAC fireproof layer between battery modules, successfully passing the 2000°C flame test, providing 30 minutes of escape time for battery thermal runaway. Some bloggers speculate: In the disassembly of NIO's 150 kWh battery pack, the aerogel-ceramic fiber composite insulation layer is filled between the cells. This material uses the same silicon dioxide aerogel substrate as NASA spacecraft insulation tiles, with carbon nanowire doping to enhance mechanical strength, and a thermal conductivity of 0.015W/m·K (only 1/20 of traditional mica sheets).
7. Tesla
Tesla Model Y: Tesla has achieved three black technologies in the new Model Y: 4680 battery, CTC solution, and integrated die-casting technology, further achieving cost reduction and efficiency improvement. The core innovative process of the 4680 battery is: large cell + full electrode + dry battery technology; Aerogel forms an insulation layer on the top of the cell (near the battery pack shell area), mainly used to block the transfer of high temperatures to the cabin or adjacent cells during thermal runaway.