Electric vehicles are becoming a core part of everyday transportation, particularly in Canada, where adoption continues to accelerate. In British Columbia, nearly 23 percent of new vehicle registrations in 2024 were zero-emission vehicles, the highest rate in North America.
With more than 153,000 EVs now operating on Canadian roads, attention is shifting beyond vehicle production toward the systems needed to safely support this growing fleet. One area drawing increased focus is lithium battery safety during servicing, storage, and repair.
Training Programs Are Shaping Industry Standards
The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), one of North America’s leading transportation and automotive training institutions, has begun integrating lithium battery fire-mitigation technology from Packaging And Crating Technologies (PACT) into its electric vehicle and automotive programs.
As EV systems become more advanced, technician training is evolving alongside them. Safety technologies introduced at the education level often carry forward into real-world service environments, influencing how vehicles are maintained once they reach dealerships, service centers, and fleet operations.
Addressing a Critical Safety Challenge
Lithium battery fires remain one of the most complex challenges associated with electric vehicles and energy storage systems. Thermal runaway events can escalate quickly, creating risks for technicians, facilities, and surrounding environments.
PACT’s Thermo Shield™ technology is designed to respond automatically during overheating events. The lightweight, paper-based material releases moisture to cool the battery and limit oxygen exposure, helping prevent temperatures from reaching levels where fires intensify and toxic gases form. The technology has undergone independent testing and is currently used across commercial and government applications, including by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Expanding Protection at the Cell Level
Building on this foundation, PACT has developed TR Sleeve™, a solution designed to prevent thermal runaway from spreading between individual lithium battery cells. Each cell is wrapped with ultra-thin fire-suppressant material, allowing batteries to maintain high energy density while improving overall safety.
BCIT plans to incorporate TR Sleeve™ into its Electric Vehicle Technology and Service course, giving students exposure to cell-level fire mitigation approaches that are becoming increasingly relevant as battery systems grow in size and complexity.
Early Adoption Points to Broader Use
When training institutions adopt specific safety technologies, it often signals broader acceptance across the industry. Graduates trained on these systems bring that familiarity into the workforce, helping accelerate adoption as electric vehicle servicing continues to expand.
As safety standards evolve, solutions that are already embedded in education and training environments may see increased use across automotive service, energy storage, logistics, and fleet operations.
Supporting the Next Phase of EV Growth
As electric vehicles continue moving into the mainstream, supporting technologies are playing a larger role in how the ecosystem develops. Battery safety has emerged as a key factor in enabling reliable, scalable EV infrastructure.
PACT’s integration into EV training programs highlights how safety-focused solutions are becoming part of the foundation that supports the next phase of electric mobility.
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