LIQUI MOLY develops liquid thermal manager for electric car batteries

Special drives require special solutions. This is definitely the case with all-electric vehicles. LIQUI MOLY expanded its range early on to include products for purely electric vehicles. A new development in this series is the Battery Coolant EV 200 launched by the German automotive chemicals specialist.

LIQUI MOLY is primarily known for its motor oils and additives. They make an important contribution to the operational reliability of vehicles. This is precisely the central task of the products for electrically driven variants. The new Battery Coolant EV 200, where EV stands for Electric Vehicle, fulfills an important purpose: It acts as a thermal manager. This is necessary because the technology of electric and hybrid vehicles only functions optimally in certain temperature windows. The range between 15 °C and 40 °C is ideal for lithium-ion batteries. “Thermal management is extremely important, because it has an impact on the range,” says David Kaiser, Head of Research and Development at LIQUI MOLY. The range of the vehicle depends on its energy consumption. And the temperature affects the service life of the battery and engine.
For this reason, the temperature of the battery should be kept constant. Depending on the outside climate, it is cooled or heated. With the thermal management system, a distinction is made between direct and indirect battery cooling. This indirect system is more complex, but necessary, as the vehicle batteries are becoming increasingly powerful and therefore significantly hotter. 
For this indirect cooling of the battery segment, which is the case with models from Hyundai and Kia, for example, a special fluid is required, such as that now offered by LIQUI MOLY. It ensures that the battery never gets hotter than 60 °C in summer and that the temperature constantly remains within the ideal range between 15 °C and 40 °C, even in winter.
For LIQUI MOLY, the new product is further proof of its own innovative expertise in the electric sector. “The development effort was worthwhile,” says David Kaiser. This is underpinned the low conductivity over the entire service life of the fluid, the long-term stability and the excellent corrosion protection. “Hybrid Additive was our first product for e-mobility years ago. Our product range has always supported the process of technological transformation. Our slogan ‘Everything that drives works better with LIQUI MOLY’ now includes e-vehicles.”

Detailed information and other special products on the topic of electric vehicles can be found in this technical information.