Axalta Introduces Advanced Coatings to Enhance Battery Safety in Electric Vehicles

Axalta Coating Systems Ltd., a global leader in coatings, has introduced two new products at The Battery Show North America, highlighting its commitment to innovation, technical excellence, and performance in energy storage and the automotive industry. The new coatings—Alesta® e-PRO FG Black and Alesta® e-PRO

Dielectric Gray—are designed to deliver superior heat resistance and enhanced electrical insulation for electric vehicle battery applications.

"While electric vehicles are statistically far less likely to catch fire than gasoline-powered vehicles, high-profile incidents and misinformation continue to impact public perception," said Dr. Robert Roop, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Axalta. "These breakthrough products demonstrate the amazing power of coatings to rise to new challenges and reflect Axalta's proven history of innovating products that impact the world for the better."

Despite the rising popularity of electric vehicles, consumers continue to express safety concerns, particularly regarding their batteries. Thermal runaway in EV batteries, though uncommon, poses a serious risk that can result in fires, explosions, or structural damage. When a single battery cell overheats, it can cause a chain reaction that rapidly generates intense heat, flames, and smoke—reaching temperatures above 1,200°C.

When integrated into a validated OEM battery system, these new coatings can help enhance thermal stability and electrical insulation performance.

Alesta® e-PRO FG Black: Extreme Heat Protection

Alesta® e-PRO FG Black is a high-performance powder coating developed to provide exceptional thermal stability and secondary fire protection in electric vehicle battery systems. Engineered to withstand temperatures up to 1,200°C, it resists ignition, expansion, and smoke generation, helping to slow fire spread during thermal events.

Key features

• Maintains structural stability when subjected to open flames and intense temperatures between 600 and 1200°C.

• Emits no smoke even at elevated temperatures.

• Provides robust corrosion resistance when applied independently or as an additional layer over electrocoated surfaces.

Alesta® e-PRO Dielectric Gray: Superior Electrical Insulation

Alesta® e-PRO Dielectric Gray is a high-quality epoxy powder coating engineered for superior electrical insulation in demanding high-voltage settings, like electric vehicle battery packs and stationary energy storage systems. It achieves exceptional hipot test results, boosting system reliability.

Key features

• It offers superior edge coverage that delivers uniform electrical insulation and excellent hipot test pass rates.

• Exhibits exceptional flexibility to accomodate intricate geometries while minimizing the risk of cracking.

• Delivers exceptional lap shear strength to bolster structural integrity when subjected to stress.

• Successfully passes the 6kV hipot test, demonstrating superior dielectric performance.

Advancing EV Safety and Adoption

Axalta's Alesta e-PRO products deliver certified electrical insulation and thermal protection. Specifically, the Dielectric Gray formula has passed rigorous standards, including UL 94 V0 and IEC 60243-1. The FG Black product provides exceptional thermal safety, successfully undergoing tests for direct flame exposure, single-cell thermal runaway, and UL 2596 TaG. When exposed to a direct flame at a scorching 1200∘ C, Alesta e-PRO FG Black is proven to be safe: it does not ignite and produces no smoke during thermal events.

“Our customers are looking for technologies that can withstand extreme environments and support their efforts to build safe and reliable battery systems,” said Dr. Roop. “These new coatings reflect our commitment to innovation and to partnering with customers to meet the challenges of next-generation mobility.”

These coatings are specifically designed to meet the demands of global automotive manufacturers producing EVs. With the worldwide EV market projected to exceed 20 million units in 2025—making up over a quarter of all cars sold globally. Several leading OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are already performing validation tests tailored to their specific designs and pre-production approval processes.

These product introductions follow Axalta's recent recognition by TIME magazine as one of America’s Best Midsize Companies of 2025. This prestigious list is compiled from a comprehensive evaluation of top-performing companies based on three crucial factors: employee satisfaction, revenue growth, and sustainability transparency.

Source: Axalta