Canadian Tech Institute partners on specialized lithium battery safety education

Canada’s accelerating shift to electric vehicles is reshaping not only the automotive market, but the skills and safety standards needed to support it. With zero-emission vehicles accounting for nearly 23 per cent of all new vehicle registrations in British Columbia in 2024—the highest penetration rate in North America—and more than 153,000 EVs now on Canadian roads, demand for properly trained EV technicians is surging. In response, the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is integrating advanced lithium-ion battery safety solutions into its automotive programs, adopting Packaging And Crating Technologies’ (PACT) patented Thermo Shield fire-suppressant materials to help prepare the next generation of EV service professionals.

“The BCIT School of Transportation stands as a prominent leader in training learners and business partners across North America for the demands of the dynamic automotive sector,” said Jim Berladyn, automotive technologist instructor at BCIT.  “With the rise of electric vehicles on the road, comes new methods of service and repair that require advanced safety measures and specialized training.”

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Berladyn explains that he first encountered PACT’s innovative Thermo Shield products at the 2023 National Battery Show in Novi, Michigan, an annual event that attracts 100,000 engineers, business leaders, and innovative thinkers from the battery and EV tech industries.  “I’ve been to a lot of EV shows throughout my career and was immediately impressed with PACT’s hands-on display and powerful videos of how the products both prevent and extinguish lithium battery fires within seconds,” he adds.

PACT Thermo Shield was invented in 2019 as a thermal management system for shipping and storing items containing lithium batteries.  It consists of thin, lightweight, paper material coated with proprietary ink.  When a lithium battery goes into thermal runaway and burns, the special ink releases a moisture barrier that creates a vapor cloud to immediately cool the internal contents of the package, which stops a fire entirely, while limiting oxygen around the package to prevent the battery temperature from escalating to 1,500° Fahrenheit, at which point, lethal gases form.

Special permit from the US Department of Transportation

The material has been tested by several independent 3rd party organizations in America and Canada and has been endorsed by the Commercial Relocation Network, the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Materials, and the International Association of Movers. It is also a preferred product for the US Department of Defense and has been awarded a special permit from the US Department of Transportation for the shipping of lithium batteries, as well as passed the proposed SAE-G-27 test standard.

Taking the technology one step further, PACT then developed TR Sleeve, which mitigates thermal runaway propagation between lithium battery cells within electric vehicles, battery packs and renewable energy storage systems.  By individually wrapping each battery cell with the super thin, Thermo Shield paper, TR Sleeve ensures comprehensive protection without compromising the overall performance of the battery.  Regardless of the cell design, batteries can be tightly pressed or stacked without potting materials or separators, achieving maximum energy density within the battery packs.

“TR Sleeve stands at the forefront of safety, sustainability, and efficiency in battery technology,” said Rodger Mort, chief operating officer at Packaging and Crating Technologies.  “Its unique features not only address critical safety concerns but also contribute to a greener and more cost-effective future for EVs, E-buses, E-bikes, E-scooters, and other modern mobility equipment that use lithium batteries.”