October 2026

As lithium-ion battery energy storage systems scale up, so does the risk when something goes wrong. Drawing on FDNY's frontline experience, this article breaks down thermal runaway, propagation, and the codes, testing, and installation practices that determine whether a battery failure stays contained or turns catastrophic.

Constant-power loads break the assumptions behind linear circuit analysis, and the fallout shows up as undersized batteries, excess heat, and stressed inverters. New drivetrain testing on a Kia EV-6 reveals why batteries, inverters, and motors need to be modeled together, not separately, to get electrified powertrains right.

As chiplets shrink toward 10 micron pitches, standard CDM testers can no longer verify their ESD withstand voltage before 2.5D/3D assembly. This first installment breaks down why existing test methods fall short and maps out the emerging paths, from contact-based CDM to correct-by-design verification, for closing the gap.