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UL Helps Advance Electric Vehicle Battery Safety with New Testing and Inspection Services

Designated by Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt as an official testing laboratory, UL now offers solutions for ECE R100 and ECE R136 European Type Approval services

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June 3, 2020

Neu-Isenburg, Germany, June 3, 2020 – UL, a leading global safety science company, today announced that UL International Germany GmbH will now offer testing services for electric vehicle (EV) battery systems as required by the European Parliament and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE).

Intended to help ensure the safe operation of rechargeable batteries, UN ECE Regulation No. 100 (ECE R100) and UN ECE Regulation No. 136 (ECE R136) European Type Approval help provide a greater level of safety for vehicle drivers and passengers. These standards apply to EVs in Class L as well as Class M and N with a maximum design speed exceeding 25 km/h.

To test for these requirements, Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA), the German federal motor transport authority, declared UL an official designated laboratory. The designation enables UL to offer the Type Approval Service ECE R100/R136 tests covering battery robustness for vibration, thermal shock and cycling, mechanical shock and integrity, fire resistance, external short circuit protection, overcharge and overdischarge protection, and over temperature protection. It also allows UL´s customers to receive the Type Approval Certificate with the E1 Marking, after review and acceptance of test reports by KBA.

Demand for ECE R100 and ECE R136 testing services has increased after the European Parliament and UN ECE adopted Regulation (EU) 2019/631. This new regulation, effective Jan. 1 2020, sets strict targets to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) and applies penalties if a manufacturer exceeds specified limits of 95g CO2/km. Thus, a large number of new EVs are being added to manufacturers’ production portfolios. Mandatory for all components and systems for automotive components within the European Union, the European Type Approval covers more than 50 countries. Germany was the first country that adopted this approval.

“UL is driven to help make the world a safer and more sustainable place. This is why we are excited to be a key part in advancing safe, clean zero-emissions transportation,” said Mary Joyce, vice president and general manager, Mobility and Automotive, UL. “By offering a complete range of EV testing services and the convenience of a single point of contact and project management for all relevant EV standards, UL is helping manufacturers simplify testing requirements and swiftly gain critical market access for their EV offerings.”

To find out more about UL Germany EV testing services, please visit https://www.ul.com/offerings/electric-vehicle-battery-testing-and-certification

About UL

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