MGEN Solution and Hyundai Infracore Register Patent for Electric Vehicle Fire Response... Targeting 420,000 Charging Stations Nationwide

It was announced on August 25 that the patent (Patent No. 2850658) for an electric vehicle fire response "suppression system," jointly filed by MGEN Solution and Hyundai Infracore, has been officially registered. With the final registration completed on August 20, the technology for extinguishing electric vehicle fires is being evaluated as having made a significant leap forward.

The core of this patent lies in the "sealer" embedded in the lower housing (bottom structure) of the suppression foam. Made from a flexible material, this sealer adheres seamlessly to the ground regardless of its surface when the suppression foam is deployed, transforming the interior into a completely sealed tank. This allows the suppressant to directly penetrate and cool or extinguish the battery located beneath the vehicle.

Until now, fires involving electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries have been difficult to manage using conventional suppression methods due to high temperatures, reignition, and the emission of toxic gases. In particular, because the suppressant could not reach the inside of the battery, the cycle of fires reigniting several times after initial extinguishment repeated itself. This patent addresses these issues by adding a "sealing effect" to a dual system of upper and lower spraying modules, and is regarded as a practical solution for securing the "golden time" in electric vehicle fire suppression.

This technology was filed on January 24 of this year and achieved final registration in just seven months. The patent will remain valid until 2045.

MGEN Solution expects that this technology will significantly enhance fire safety not only in responding to electric vehicle fires but also in enclosed spaces such as electric charging stations and underground parking lots. According to the Ministry of Environment and the Korea Smart Grid Association, as of the end of July this year, the number of newly registered electric vehicles in South Korea was 118,705, an increase of about 47.24% compared to the same period last year (80,620 vehicles). The cumulative number of registered electric vehicles reached 830,761, approximately 3.5 times higher than in 2021 (238,063 vehicles). Charging infrastructure has also rapidly expanded, with the number of chargers nationwide increasing about 4.4 times from 94,041 in 2021 to 417,437 as of August this year.

A representative from MGEN Solution stated, "This patent marks an important turning point in overcoming the challenges of extinguishing electric vehicle fires by applying the sealer," and added, "We will move toward early commercialization through demonstration projects in cooperation with local governments and fire authorities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.