Comprehensive Review on Strategies for Preventing and Managing Thermal Runaway in Lithium-Ion Batteries for Electric Vehicles

The rapid growth of electric vehicle adoption has elevated lithium-ion batteries as a cornerstone of modern transportation. However, this advancement is accompanied by increasing incidents of thermal runaway, a hazardous failure process involving uncontrolled temperature rise, combustion, or explosion. Particularly in space-constrained platforms such as electric two-wheelers, the risk is intensified due to limited thermal buffers and cost-driven design constraints. This study presents a comprehensive review and experimental investigation into strategies for preventing and managing thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries. It begins by analyzing global incident trends and correlating them with the expanding electric vehicle market. The research examines the fundamental mechanisms of thermal runaway, emphasizing the roles of battery aging, material degradation, internal defects, and abuse conditions. A range of thermal safety enhancement approaches is critically reviewed, including passive and active cooling systems, novel battery pack designs, and material-level interventions. A comparative experimental analysis of various thermal management techniques is conducted, assessing their effectiveness using different cooling media and configurations. To support predictive diagnostics, a mathematical model hypothesis is proposed to simulate thermal runaway in lithium-ion battery packs for electric two-wheelers. The model identifies key thermal thresholds and evaluates mitigation strategies under extreme operating conditions. The research outcomes provide both theoretical insight and practical recommendations. They contribute to improved safety design guidelines for battery manufacturers, electric vehicle designers, and regulatory bodies. Special emphasis is placed on the unique challenges faced by electric two-wheelers, where design limitations often preclude the adoption of conventional safety systems. This paper offers a multidisciplinary framework that integrates mechanistic understanding, experimental validation, and predictive modeling to address thermal runaway risks. It supports the development of safer and more reliable lithium-ion battery systems for the evolving electric mobility landscape.