39 E-Mobility Engineering | January/February 2026 The Battery Show North America | Show report Frenzelit showcased its advanced novaVolt aerogel-based intercell insulation material, presenting a sophisticated solution engineered to limit thermal propagation in nextgeneration battery systems. Designed primarily for prismatic and pouch cells in high-voltage applications, novaVolt takes on the critical safety challenge of preventing thermal runaway spreading between adjacent cells. The material’s performance stems from its specialised composition and multi-faceted approach to heat transfer inhibition. Wolfgang Wirth, director of advanced development, detailed its makeup: “The main materials that novaVOLT consists of are aerogel of course at approximately 45%, and most of the rest is silica fibre, which has a working temperature of 1000–1100 C and can withstand 1200 C in cases of thermal runaway. This silica-fibrereinforced aerogel matrix is engineered to attack heat transfer through conduction, convection and radiation.” Thermal conduction through the solid material is minimised by the intrinsic nanostructure of the aerogel. The points of contact between the aerogel nanoparticles are exceptionally small, drastically reducing the solid conduction pathway. “In the aerogel, the surface area over which the particles contact each other is very small, which keeps thermal conductivity very low,” explains Wirth. This very low effective contact area severely limits heat transfer via conduction within and through the material. Furthermore, the encapsulated air within the nanoporous structure suppresses convective heat transfer. To address radiant heat – a dominant mode of energy transfer at high temperatures during thermal runaway – novaVolt incorporates specialised infrared-absorbent additives. The enormous internal surface area of the aerogel, combined with these additives, reflects and absorbs infrared radiation internally. Christian Kraus, head of mobility sales, elaborates: “The heat radiation will be reflected in the aerogel particles themselves, and partially reflected back or deflected to the side. So, the portion of the heat radiation that goes straight through the material is minimised.” This multibarrier approach results in a measured thermal conductivity between 35 and approximately 90 milliwatts per metreKelvin across a 200–600 C range, substantially lower than that of micabased alternatives. Beyond its thermal performance, novaVolt is engineered for practical integration, safety in production and ease of handling. “Our material is nearly without any dust,” Wirth notes, which is a key differentiator from conventional dusty aerogels. Its compressibility is also uniquely tunable via a industry standard of integrating wet disc brakes into the gearbox, which generate heat losses and penalise efficiency. “In the Bonfiglioli design, we decided to install the brake on the back of the motor. We have an electromagnetic parking brake with a dry disc, so that it doesn’t impact the efficiency of the solution.” This is a key element of their product customisation, he adds. The drive system is also futureproofed for the industry’s transition to Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). Bonfiglioli offers customers the option of integrating additional sensors into the 601 F, allowing the same hardware to be used in both manually operated and automated vehicles. This approach also extends to forklift steering drives, creating a unified propulsion and steering solution from a single supplier. Addressing the motor technology itself, Buscherini confirms the current market standard is the AC induction motor because of its competitive price and decent performance. However, he highlights two main design challenges: space constraints and the relentless pursuit of higher efficiency. The integrated design philosophy directly addresses the spatial limitations. To boost efficiency, Bonfiglioli coengineers motor windings with customers to optimise performance at the operating points that are used most frequently. The resulting energy saving can translate into a smaller battery or a longer operating time. Looking ahead, the company is actively developing permanent magnet motors for this application. These offer superior power density and potential efficiency gains, and Bonfiglioli’s engineering team is preparing to support with prototypes, calculations and testing. While inverter technology is sourced from partners, the company works closely with them, providing detailed motor specifications to ensure optimal system performance, ensuring the 601 F drive system remains adaptable as forklift technology evolves. Thermal conductivity of Frenzelit’s novaVOLT aerogel-based insulating material increases linearly with temperature (Image: Frenzelit)
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