AEROMOTIVE: UK-Made Aerogel Insulating Thermal Runaway Barrier for use in next-gen EV battery systems

A single overheated battery cell can trigger a chain reaction that destroys an entire electric vehicle battery pack. This project develops a lightweight, UK-manufactured aerogel barrier to stop that chain reaction—called thermal runaway—from spreading between cells. The problem is urgent. Lithium-ion batteries powering electric vehicles can fail catastrophically when one cell overheats uncontrollably, igniting neighbouring cells in a cascade that can take minutes to destroy the entire pack. Current barriers are often too heavy or thick for next-generation battery designs. The AEROMOTIVE project brings together an aerogel manufacturer (Thermulon), a testing specialist (CamMotive), and a carmaker (JLR) to create a thin, super-insulating layer that blocks heat transfer without adding significant weight. If the barrier works, it could make electric vehicles safer without compromising range or battery density. The impact is largely invisible to drivers—they will never see the aerogel layer—but it addresses a critical safety bottleneck in battery pack design. For manufacturers, a UK-made solution reduces supply-chain dependence and could accelerate adoption of higher-energy-density battery chemistries that are more prone to thermal runaway. The project is applied engineering, not fundamental science: the goal is a manufacturable product, not a new discovery.