Axalta Unveils Innovative Coatings to Support Improved Battery Safety in Electric Vehicles

New coating solutions engineered for extreme heat protection and better electrical insulation for EV battery applications

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global coatings company, today will unveil two innovative products at The Battery Show North America (Booth #1638), reinforcing its commitment to innovation, technical service and performance in energy storage solutions and the automotive industry value chain. The new products, Alesta® e-PRO FG Black and Alesta® e-PRO Dielectric Gray, which are part of Axalta’s broad portfolio of battery coatings, have been engineered for extreme heat protection and better electrical insulation in EV 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."

Even as electric vehicles are growing in popularity, concerns remain among consumers about their safety, specifically around batteries. Thermal runaway in EV batteries remains a rare yet serious risk that can lead to fires, explosions, and structural failure. When one battery cell overheats, it can trigger a chain reaction, rapidly releasing extreme heat, flames, and smoke at temperatures exceeding 1200°C.

When applied as part of a validated OEM battery system, these new coatings may contribute to improved thermal stability and electrical insulation performance.

Alesta® e-PRO FG Black: Extreme Heat Protection

Alesta® e-PRO FG Black is a premium powder coating engineered for thermal stability and secondary fire protection in electric vehicle battery systems. This advanced coating is designed to resist ignition, expansion, and smoke generation at extreme temperatures up to 1200°C, helping to delay fire propagation from thermal events.

Key design features include:

• Thermal integrity maintained under direct flame and extreme heat (600–1200°C)
• Zero smoke emission at high temperatures
• Strong corrosion protection for standalone or enhanced protection over electrocoated substrates

Alesta® e-PRO Dielectric Gray: Superior Electrical Insulation

Alesta® e-PRO Dielectric Gray is a premium epoxy-based powder coating designed to provide robust electrical insulation in high-voltage environments such as electric vehicle battery packs and stationary energy storage systems. This coating delivers excellent hipot test yield, improving reliability.

Key design features include:

• Industry-leading edge coverage ensuring consistent electrical insulation and high hipot pass rates
• High flexibility accommodating complex geometries with reduced risk of cracking
• Superior lap shear strength for enhanced structural integrity under applied stress
• Passes 6KV hipot for dielectric performance

Advancing EV Safety and Adoption

Alesta e-PRO products have undergone rigorous testing for electrical insulation and thermal protection. The Dielectric Gray has been tested for UL 94 V0 and IEC 60243-1 amongst several others. The FG Black product has been tested for direct flame exposure, single-cell thermal runaway and UL 2596 TaG tests. When exposed to direct flame at 1200°C, Axalta's Alesta® e-PRO FG Black produces no smoke and does not catch fire 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.”

The coatings are designed for global automotive manufacturers producing EVs, with the global EV market on track to surpass 20 million units in 2025, accounting for over a quarter of cars sold worldwide. Several leading OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are currently conducting additional testing based on their specific designs and pre-production part approval processes.

These product introductions come on the heels of Axalta being named to TIME magazine’s list of America’s Best Midsize Companies of 2025. The list of top performing companies is built from a comprehensive analysis based on three primary dimensions: employee satisfaction, revenue growth, and sustainability transparency.

About Axalta

Axalta is a global leader in the coatings industry, providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable coatings solutions. From light vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, building facades and other industrial applications, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enhance durability. With more than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the global team at Axalta continues to find ways to serve our more than 100,000 customers in over 140 countries better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axalta.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

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