Dr. Sander Clerick, Development Chemist, Arteco
The automotive industry is rapidly shifting to low- and zero-emission solutions. Electrification, including hybrid, battery, and fuel cell electric vehicles (EVs), is driving innovation in powertrain and thermal management systems. Moving away from internal combustion engines is crucial to reducing greenhouse gases, air pollution, and their impact on the climate. With transportation accounting for ~28% of global emissions, reducing its impact is essential to achieving global decarbonisation.
Effective thermal management plays a key role in maximising performance and durability. Arteco develops high-performance engine and electric vehicle coolants designed to meet strict safety and environmental standards, with a focus on long-term durability. These formulations are specifically engineered for modern vehicle systems where thermal control is essential.
By applying safe and sustainable-by-design (SSbD) principles during R&D, Arteco ensures its solutions are aligned with future environmental and regulatory standards. This approach balances technical expertise with human and environmental safety, supporting the industry’s shift towards sustainability. The introduction of specialised product ranges marks a significant step forward, setting a new benchmark for minimising environmental impact by embedding safety and sustainability at the heart of product design.
Safe-by-Design
Water–glycol-based engine coolants are widely used in electric vehicles for indirect liquid cooling. Their excellent heat transfer properties, proven automotive performance, compatibility, and ease of handling make them a commercially preferred solution for thermal management. In EV systems, the coolant is physically separated from electrical components, often by using a battery bottom cooling plate, to ensure safe and reliable operation.
For demanding scenarios such as fast charging, the industry is trending towards increased battery-to-coolant integration. Closer contact between the fluid and battery, with higher heat exchange surface, enhances thermal management by improving heat transfer efficiency. As a result, the coolant’s electrical properties become increasingly critical. Traditional engine coolants, while robust and corrosion-resistant, typically have electrical conductivities between 2.000 and 10.000 µS/cm. If leakage occurs within the battery pack, this level of conductivity can pose a serious electrical safety risk. E ects can range from external short circuits triggering rapid battery discharge to internal cell Damage and even thermal runaway if the situation is not properly managed.
To address this challenge, there is a growing focus on dedicated EV coolants that not only deliver thermal performance and material compatibility, but also fulfil a safety-critical function throughout the product’s lifecycle.
Recognising this need early, Arteco’s pioneering work led to the development of Freecor® EV Milli coolants with low electrical conductivity, specifically designed to enhance the safety of battery systems.
To demonstrate the e ect of coolant leakage into battery cells, Arteco collaborated with leading academic research institutions and independent specialised testing institutes to conduct controlled abuse testing. The experimental setup (Figure 1) featured a 57 Ah Li NMC prismatic cell at 100% state of charge (SoC), partially submerged in water–glycol coolants of varying electrical conductivity. A 1 cm gap was maintained between the battery’s negative terminal and a copper busbar, across which a 400 V potential was applied, simulating a worst-case short-circuit event at the pack level.
When exposed to a conventional engine coolant (pink, 5.000 µS/cm), the system immediately exhibited short-circuit behaviour. The coolant boiled locally at the electrode, and electrical arcing was observed. Battery surface temperature rose rapidly, to levels potentially initiating thermal runaway. The combined effects of hydrogen generation via coolant hydrolysis and electrical arcing created a severely hazardous scenario within a very short timeframe.
In contrast, testing with a low-conductivity coolant (blue, 100 µS/cm) demonstrated substantially improved safety characteristics. Electrical arcing was entirely suppressed, and the battery surface temperature increased only gradually under identical abuse conditions. While hydrogen evolution could not be fully prevented due to the high applied voltage, the overall risk profile was significantly reduced. This delay in escalation provides critical time for users to evacuate and for emergency responders to intervene.
In light of these findings, industry standards have begun to impose stricter limits on electrical conductivity. For example, ASTM D8566 specifies a maximum electrical conductivity of 100 µS/cm for fresh coolants used in battery Electric vehicle applications. A significant regulatory step was taken with the implementation of China’s GB29743.2 standard in October 2025. This regulation mandates that as-supplied coolants used in newly developed vehicle platforms in the People’s Republic of China must not exceed 100 µS/cm, particularly for systems using water–glycol battery cooling.
Maintaining low levels of electrical conductivity, a parameter often overlooked or insufficiently emphasised in existing specifications, is essential to ensure system robustness. During controlled atmosphere brazing of aluminium components, such as radiators, cold plates, and other battery cooling structures, brazing aids and fluxes leave behind ionic residues on internal surfaces. Once the cooling system is assembled and filled, these residues dissolve into the coolant as residual salts, leading to a sharp increase in electrical conductivity. If the coolant is not specifically formulated to counteract this effect, the resulting conductivity spike may compromise the intended safety improvements (see Figure 2, 300 µS/cm).
Freecor® EV Milli technology resists such electrical conductivity spikes upon contact with brazed aluminium surfaces (Figure 3). Ist formulation helps maintain the initial safety benefits by stabilising conductivity levels, ensuring continued electrical insulation throughout the vehicle’s operational life.
Sustainable-by-Design
While EV-specific coolants are developed to meet safety and performance requirements, Arteco has gone further by addressing their climate impact. Recent life cycle assessment (LCA) studies show that the most significant climate Impacts associated with coolants are largely attributable to raw material extraction and end-of-life treatment. In response, Arteco has prioritised resource efficiency in its development strategy, leading to the creation of the Freecor® EV ECO coolant range.
Freecor® EV ECO coolants incorporate base fluids linked to bio-based or recycled feedstocks, allocated via a certified mass balance approach. This method enables the integration of alternative raw materials into existing production systems, while ensuring full traceability and third-party certification across the supply chain. The base fluids used, Monoethylene Glycol (MEG) or Monopropylene Glycol (MPG), are traditionally virgin-grade materials linked to fossil resources. The Freecor® EV ECO product line helps reduce reliance on virgin fossil resources. To confirm the traceability and reliability of this process, Arteco has received the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS certification for its mass balance approach towards bioeconomy and circular economy.
The benefits of the ECO coolants are reflected in their significantly reduced Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) compared to their traditional virgin fossil-based equivalents.
Arteco’s strategy involves identifying a strong supplier network capable of meeting stringent sustainability and quality standards. Sustainable sourcing plays a central role in this strategy, supported by thorough evaluation of all Input materials to ensure coolant performance and reliability are never compromised.
Interpreting environmental data remains inherently complex, particularly in quantifying carbon savings. Variables such as feedstock origin and methodological assumptions can substantially influence the outcome of impact assessment. To strengthen data quality and transparency, Arteco collaborates with accredited external partners to develop a scientifically grounded, reliable database of product environmental information.
Developing sustainable coolants is a shared responsibility across the value chain. A proactive strategy focused on climate action, responsible resource use, and stakeholder collaboration is essential to achieve meaningful progress.
Arteco’s advancements in EV coolant technology contribute to the evolution of safe, sustainable mobility. Its solutions specifically designed for indirect liquid cooling in EVs, address the industry’s increasingly stringent safety and performance requirements. With the introduction of ECO coolants, Arteco is raising the bar for decarbonisation e orts across the entire value chain.
Disclaimer: Statements regarding environmental benefits, CO reductions and other sustainability-related performance characteristics of the product(s) referenced herein are based on recognised scientific evidence and internal and/or external data available to us at the time of publication. Actual environmental performance may vary depending on use, conditions, and context. Supporting data and methodology are available on request (info@arteco-coolants.com). This information is provided for transparency purposes and does not constitute a guarantee of performance in all circumstances.
