Carrar has demonstrated complete prevention of thermal propagation in high-energy NMC pouch cells under extreme failure conditions. The Israeli battery systems developer used its proprietary Two-Phase Immersion Architecture to stop cascade failure entirely during testing at its R&D laboratories in Sderot, Israel.
Highlights
- A 72Ah NMC pouch cell driven to thermal failure reached over 800°C, while the adjacent cell remained at approximately 50°C with zero propagation.
- Carrar’s passive system requires no sensors, suppression systems, or active intervention to prevent thermal cascade.
- The architecture exceeds upcoming China GB 38031-2025 and UL9540A:2025 safety standards before they take effect.
- Battery operational life extends up to 4x compared to conventional thermal management, while enabling faster charging.
How the Testing Worked
In Carrar’s test protocol, a heater drove a single pouch cell to thermal failure at a temperature increase exceeding 15°C per second. The triggered cell reached catastrophic temperatures above 800°C. However, the adjacent cell remained near ambient at roughly 50°C. No thermal propagation occurred between cells.
“This validates what we’ve been building toward — battery systems that don’t just delay thermal events, but prevent them from spreading entirely,” said Eitam Friedman, Co-Founder and CEO of Carrar. “We’re seeing strong interest from battery manufacturers and OEM partners because this unlocks commercial viability for applications that demand both energy density and absolute safety.”
Friedman added that Carrar’s BESS systems will be commercially ready by end of 2026. The company is also advancing through development phases with automotive partners on multi-year programs.
Exceeding Emerging Global Safety Standards
The results position Carrar ahead of two significant incoming regulations. China’s GB 38031-2025, taking effect in July 2026, mandates zero fire and zero explosion for two hours following thermal runaway. This represents a major shift from previous requirements that focused on evacuation time.
Similarly, UL9540A:2025 for energy storage systems now emphasizes intrinsic stability and lifetime safety design. Carrar’s architecture surpasses both standards through passive thermal management that prevents propagation entirely.
How Two-Phase Immersion Architecture Works
Carrar’s system submerges battery modules in a dielectric fluid engineered to boil at specific temperatures. During normal operation, the phase-change process maintains uniform cell temperatures. As a result, it eliminates hotspots that accelerate degradation.
Under failure conditions, the system’s latent heat of vaporization instantly absorbs thermal spikes. This prevents propagation and, in most cases, stops even the originating cell from entering full thermal runaway.
“The test results prove the physics work at commercial scale,” said Bar Ben Horin, VP Product at Carrar. “We’re seeing the triggered cell hit catastrophic temperatures while adjacent cells remain near ambient. That’s not incremental improvement — it’s a fundamental shift in what’s possible for battery system safety and performance.”
Performance Benefits Beyond Safety
In addition to thermal propagation prevention, the architecture extends battery operational life up to 4x compared to conventional thermal management. It also enables faster charging and higher energy throughput. These are critical factors for both grid-scale storage economics and EV adoption.
Carrar develops advanced battery systems for electric vehicle, marine, and energy storage applications. Founded in 2019, the company operates from Sderot, Israel, and partners with global OEMs and battery manufacturers. For more information, visit www.carrar.net.
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