1. Power Battery Thermal Management Systems
The power battery serves as the energy source for electric vehicles. During the charging and discharging processes, the battery itself generates a certain amount of heat, leading to a rise in temperature. Elevated temperatures, in turn, impact numerous operational parameters of the battery—such as internal resistance, voltage, State of Charge (SOC), available capacity, charging and discharging efficiency, and overall battery lifespan. Furthermore, thermal effects within the battery can adversely affect the performance and cycle life of the entire vehicle. Consequently, effective thermal management is critical to optimizing battery performance, extending its lifespan, and ultimately maximizing the vehicle's driving range. The Power Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS) is an integral component of the automotive power battery system. It represents an advanced technology designed to enhance overall battery performance by addressing issues such as thermal runaway or excessive heat dissipation that arise when batteries operate under extreme temperature conditions (either too high or too low). Based on the specific battery's optimal operating temperature range—and informed by the impact of temperature on battery performance, as well as the battery's unique electrochemical characteristics and heat-generation mechanisms—the BTMS is established through rational design. This design draws upon a multidisciplinary foundation encompassing materials science, electrochemistry, heat transfer, and molecular dynamics. Different thermal management systems vary in terms of component structure, weight, cost, and control strategies; these variations result in distinct levels of performance achieved by each specific system.
2. The Power Battery Thermal Management System Industry Chain
A power battery thermal management system primarily consists of temperature monitoring devices, a cooling system, a heating system, and a control unit. The upstream segment of the BTMS industry chain comprises raw materials—such as aluminum, thermally conductive materials, plastic granules, coolants, sealants, and adhesives—as well as various components, including thermal sensors, PTC elements, cold plates, coolers,HV heaters,electric air compressors, electronic fans, and expansion valves. The midstream segment focuses on the integration of power battery thermal management systems. Manufacturers in this segment design and develop customized thermal management solutions tailored to the specific characteristics of different automotive brands' battery packs—including their size, weight, placement, and functional requirements—and subsequently carry out component processing and assembly to produce fully integrated thermal management systems. The downstream segment of the industry chain consists of new energy vehicles, encompassing both passenger cars and commercial vehicles.
3. Current Status of Power Battery Thermal Management System Development
Automotive thermal management involves a holistic approach to coordinating, optimizing, and controlling the interplay among various vehicle components and subsystems—such as the engine, air conditioning, battery, and electric motor—from the perspective of the entire vehicle. Its objective is to effectively resolve vehicle-wide thermal issues, ensuring that each functional module operates within its optimal temperature range, thereby enhancing the vehicle's fuel economy and dynamic performance while guaranteeing safe operation. Thermal management systems for new energy vehicles (NEVs) evolved from those of traditional fuel-powered vehicles; they incorporate shared elements found in conventional systems—such as engine cooling and air conditioning—while adding cooling systems for new components specific to NEVs, including the battery, electric motor, and electronic control units. In recent years, my country has vigorously promoted the development of industries related to NEVs, issuing a series of intensive support policies for the sector. As the NEV industry continues to expand, the thermal management system market—an integral link in the NEV supply chain—has ushered in new opportunities for growth. In 2024, the market size for thermal management systems in complete NEV assemblies reached 54.398 billion RMB, representing a year-on-year growth of 21.32%.
NEV thermal management primarily comprises four key components: the battery thermal management system, the automotive air conditioning system, the cooling system for the electric motor and electronic controls, and the reducer cooling system. Among these, the NEV power battery thermal management system is specifically designed to regulate battery temperature and minimize the temperature differential between the hottest and coolest points within the battery pack. This ensures that the power battery remains within its optimal operating temperature range, thereby safeguarding its charging and discharging performance, safety, and service life, while simultaneously mitigating the risk of spontaneous combustion caused by battery overheating in NEVs. As the market penetration rate of NEVs continues to rise, the demand for supporting power battery thermal management systems is expanding commensurately. In 2024, the market demand for power battery thermal management systems in my country reached 3.6795 million sets.
4. Analysis of Development Trends in China's Power Battery Thermal Management Industry
In the future, power battery thermal management technology will evolve toward greater efficiency, enhanced safety, and increased environmental sustainability. On one hand, driven by the rapid expansion of the new energy vehicle (NEV) market, user expectations regarding range, fast-charging capabilities, safety, and service life are constantly rising—demanding higher performance standards from power batteries. Consequently, future power battery thermal management systems will rely increasingly on advanced sensors and algorithms to achieve precise control and predictive management of individual battery cell temperatures. By integrating IoT and big data technologies, these systems will monitor the operating status of battery packs in real time, enabling the timely detection and resolution of potential overheating or overcooling issues, thereby effectively extending battery lifespan and enhancing the overall stability and reliability of the system. On the other hand, the introduction of high-performance battery technologies—such as large cylindrical cells—necessitates targeted optimization of thermal management systems. Moving forward, my country's power battery thermal management systems will incorporate more efficient heat dissipation materials and structural designs—such as liquid cooling or phase-change materials—to more effectively lower battery temperatures, mitigate the risk of thermal runaway, and bolster the vehicle's overall safety performance. Furthermore, future thermal management systems will place greater emphasis on sustainable development; novel eco-friendly materials—such as bio-based polymers and inorganic nanomaterials—will be gradually integrated into these systems to minimize environmental impact while maintaining high performance standards. Additionally, as high-energy-density battery technologies continue to advance, thermal management systems must undergo corresponding adjustments and optimizations to ensure that gains in energy density are not achieved at the expense of safety and stability. This mandates that the design of thermal management systems fully account for the thermophysical properties and chemical stability of the battery materials, thereby guaranteeing the long-term, reliable operation of the entire system.
Post time: Apr-27-2026
