BRAND-NEW
SPECIAL ISSUE ON ACE & OFF ROAD VEHICLES
PPG and Dutch University Will Cooperate to Develop the First Off-Road Solar Car The upcoming Stella Terra vehicle will use PPG CORACHAR™ fire protection coatings to safeguard the lithium (Li)-ion battery pack and protect the car from thermal damage.
T
he international paints and coatings manufacturer PPG has
“A risk of Li-ion batteries is that they can experience thermal runaway.
recently announced a partnership with a student organisation
While the probability of this failure occurring is rather slim, we decided
from the Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands) to
to partner with PPG to minimize the effects of such a severe accident.
develop Stella Terra, the first solar-powered off-road car that will be
PPG’s cutting-edge innovations on battery coatings make it possible for
coated with PPG CORACHAR™.
Terra’s drivers and its surroundings to evacuate in a worst-case scenario
PPG will provide an amount of $37,000 to the Solar Team Eindhoven
by stalling the spread of a battery fire,” has stated Wisse Bos, team
as part of its recent $5 million commitment to the environmental
manager of Solar Team Eindhoven.
sustainability education. In addition, the company will supply its PPG
“The project supports PPG’s goals of developing sustainably advantaged
CORACHAR fire protection coating to safeguard the lithium (Li)-ion
technologies and supporting sustainability education. Through this
battery pack of Stella Terra, which has been designed to withstand the
investment, we aim to support educational activities related to clean
harsh conditions of off-roading. As a matter of fact, the car was tested in
energy and the future of mobility and help prepare the next generation
the Sahara Desert (Morocco) in October 2023.
of leaders to understand the impacts of climate change,” has concluded
The PPG CORACHAR battery fire protection coatings are intumescent
Thierry Destruhaut, PPG customer sustainability business partner for
solutions that expand in the presence of high heat or fire, providing
the Automotive OEM Coatings.
an insulating layer to protect from thermal damage. Furthermore, they can improve light-weighting, increase battery performance, support
For further information:
passenger and first-responder safety in case of a fire.
www.ppg.com/autocoatings/en-US/segments/electric-vehicles
© STE/Bart van Overbeeke
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N. 84 - NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine