We need to see what comes back from the AGM and see if the BRCA (through Paul) have any plans to change things for next year, otherwise all we have is rumour and speculation. From my point of view, the cells are abused terribly and you can always make a cell or battery go through a rapid disassembly if abused 'in the right/wrong way'.. but the ease with which it now seems possible is alarming.
The problem with the newer breed of cells is that the Chinese manufacturers are trading safety for other performance traits such as capacity and voltage. To get these traits you need thinner canned walls (the cell can not handle pressure as well) and thinner seperators (the cells are more prone to internal shorts). You also need a near 1:1 match between the two electrodes to increase capacity and a near starved electrolyte system (to increase capacity and voltage but these do nothing for life).
You also need a good vent mechanism. Newer cells use rubber slug vents rather than spring vents and these are not as robust, they also distort or have their properties effected by external soldering. There can also be issues with cell seperator melting and blocking up the vents in the cell.
If this were the powertool market then none of the high capacity NiMH cells we use would get qualified, they are just too tempremental.
Sanyo got out of this game and basicaly handed it to the Chinese cell manufacturers which is a shame as Sanyo make the best NiMH cells full stop... but they top out now at 3000mAh or 2600mAh if you want a really good high drain NiMH cell that will last you for years....
If cells we used had to meet strict cycle life and safety tests we could go back to running 2600mAh NiMH Cs... but we might need to reduce the length of our races
All of this is my personal view, nothing to do with my work* (*disclaimer as Snr Tech Manager for Chinese owned Battery Company).
In the mean time, stay safe.
N