Soteria Battery Innovation Group Files Patent on Technology to Battle E-Bike Fires

Greenville, South Carolina-based Soteria Battery Innovation Group filed a patent application on a battery safety technology designed to reduce the probability and ferocity of e-bike battery fires.

Company officials said the technology offers a simple yet effective solution: a thermally insulating, fire-retardant blanket that can be easily wrapped around each individual cell within an e-bike battery pack.

By slowing or preventing fire propagation from cell to cell, the technology addresses a critical safety concern in the e-bike market, the officials said.

E-bike batteries often are composed of more than 50 individual cells, closely packed within a tight, sealed container.

The officials said when one cell catches fire, the resulting heat can quickly ignite neighboring cells, causing 50 miniature explosions, each one shooting jets of flame and molten material outside the battery pack. 

Company officials said the technology borrows the geometry of spacer material used in aerospace composites called honeycomb.

When formed from a flame-retardant, insulating material, and in the size and shape to cover each battery, this honeycomb barrier forms the perfect insulator that can keep each cell from heating the other cells, slowing or stopping the propagation of the fire, the officials said.

As part of a years-long study on e-bike battery safety in collaboration with industry partners including NASA, Polaris, the Fire Department of New York and many others, Soteria's technology team dismantled over 30 different e-bike batteries to gain a thorough understanding of potential safety gaps.

Though insulating cells from one another is a common battery safety strategy, not one of these batteries had any insulation between the cells, Soteria officials said.

"When I saw these results, I realized that for something to be widely adopted, it had to be easy to install, light weight and inexpensive," said Brian Morin, CEO and co-founder of Soteria and one of the inventors of the technology.

The honeycomb structure, made from inexpensive fibers commonly used in firefighter uniforms, will add only about three ounces to the weight of the pack and cost less than $3 per e-bike battery pack once fully licensed and installed, Soteria officials said.

With e-bike battery pack prices running $700 – 900 or more, this technology represents a small add-on to significantly improve safety, the officials said.

They said installation is straightforward: once the cells are placed in their frame, the honeycomb slips neatly over the array of cells, allowing a top frame, busbars and other electrical components to be installed in their normal fashion afterwards.

Avison Young Debt & Equity Finance Team Arranges $24.8M Construction Financing, $12M of Equity JV on Behalf of RealtyLink

Avison Young arranged $24.8 million of construction financing and $12 million of equity joint venture for speculative development of two industrial properties in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on behalf of RealtyLink.

The 78-acre parcel is located on Zimmerman Road at the intersection of Interstate 85 and I-26 in Spartanburg.

Phase one of the development consists of two 229,840-square-foot spec industrial buildings to be delivered in late 2025. Phase two will consist of a 419,120-square-foot future build-to suit opportunity.

RealtyLink, developer/owner, was represented by Avison Young’s Debt & Equity Finance Team, led by Jon Goldstein, principal; Michael Yavinsky, principal; Wes Boatwright, principal; and Connor Burke, vice president in the firm’s DC office. 

The property is located in the heart of the Upstate region’s distribution and manufacturing corridor, which is home to some of the nation’s largest industrial operations, including BMW’s largest worldwide production facility, Michelin’s North American headquarters and Lockheed Martin’s F-16 production line.

Clear Talk Joins the MCA Family

Spartanburg, South Carolina-based Mobile Communications America, Inc., a leading provider of wireless communication solutions, announced the acquisition of Illinois Cooperative Association, Inc. (d/b/a Clear Talk), a cooperative owned Motorola partner, headquartered in Decatur, Illinois.

Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

"We are excited to welcome the Clear Talk team to the MCA family,” said Vince Foody, CEO of MCA. “Their varied customer base, customer reputation, Motorola credentials, and service first culture are integral to our growth strategy.”

Officials said the addition of Clear Talk strengthens MCA's national footprint in the Midwest region.

Clear Talk was established in 1997.

SCDHHS Director Robert Kerr to Retire 

Gov. Henry McMaster announced Sept. 16, 2024, that South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) Director Robert M. Kerr will retire from his position, effective Nov. 1, 2024. 

Kerr, who served as director for over three years, was nominated by McMaster in April 2021. He was unanimously confirmed by the South Carolina Senate on April 20, 2021.

"Director Robby Kerr is truly a remarkable leader and a dedicated public servant, whose counsel and vision have been relied upon and trusted by governors, legislators, and colleagues alike," McMaster said.

McMaster added, "He has transformed and modernized our state’s Medicaid program and has led efforts to improve service, efficiency, and health outcomes at agencies across state government. South Carolina is a better place today because of the contributions and accomplishments of Director Kerr. He will be missed." 

In his resignation letter to McMaster, Kerr highlighted several major achievements during his tenure: "Under your leadership and guidance, staff have made transformative changes for the state. In behavioral health, they have doubled the number of school based counselors, invested over $45 million in establishing innovative EmPath crisis stabilization units within hospitals, and made historic collaborative investments of over $100 million establishing regional inpatient behavioral health hubs."

He added, “They have stabilized the Medicaid budget while substantially improving provider rates and expanding service arrays. Finally, staff have developed and are executing a comprehensive modernization plan to improve the agency's enterprise and enrollment systems." 

Medicaid is South Carolina's grant-in-aid program by which the federal and state governments share the cost of providing medical care for needy persons who have low income.

The program was authorized by Title XIX of the Social Security Act that was signed into law on July 30, 1965.

Congress has continually changed the Medicaid Program since it was created. South Carolina began participation in the Medicaid Program in July 1968.

The department is the administrator of Healthy Connections, South Carolina’s Medicaid Program. Medicaid provides health coverage for eligible residents of South Carolina, including:

* Children.

* Parent and caretaker relatives.

* Pregnant women.

* People over age 65.

* People with disabilities.

* Children with developmental delays.

* And breast and cervical cancer patients.

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