HV Battery Test — UNECE R100 / IEC 62660 / ISO 6469

What Is HV Battery?

The high-voltage battery test evaluates the rechargeable energy storage system (REESS) used in electric and hybrid vehicles for safety, electrical performance and environmental durability. It is carried out separately at cell, module and pack levels; a result at one level does not represent another.

Purpose of HV Battery

The purpose is to verify that the battery does not release energy in an uncontrolled manner under normal use, misuse and crash conditions, and to produce the evidence required for type approval.

Which Products Is HV Battery Applied To?

Electric and hybrid vehicle battery packs
Battery modules and cell blocks
Light electric vehicle (category L) batteries
Commercial-vehicle and bus battery systems
Energy storage system (ESS) modules

In Which Sectors Is HV Battery Used?

AutomotiveEnergyElectrical & Electronics

Standards Related to HV Battery

UNECE R100electric vehicle and battery safety test
IEC 62660-1
IEC 62660-2
IEC 62660-3
ISO 6469-1
ISO 12405-4Test conditions for electric vehicle lithium battery packs test
UN 38.3Transport safety tests on lithium batteries test

HV Battery Conditions

Test levels: Cell, module and pack; each level is evaluated separately
State of charge (SOC): Varies by test; safety tests are mostly performed at high SOC
Assessment: Explosion, fire, casing rupture and electrolyte leakage are observed

Equipment for HV Battery

Battery cycler system
Climatic and thermal-shock chamber
Vibration shaker and shock rig
Crush and penetration test rig
Fire-exposure rig
Insulation resistance measurement system
Thermal camera and multi-channel temperature logger

Sample Requirements for HV Battery

A specimen suited to the level being tested (cell/module/pack)
A separate specimen is required for each test; the tests are destructive
The number of specimens is determined by the applied standard and the test list
The battery management system and cooling circuit must be operational
The status under UN 38.3 must be stated for safe transport

Duration of HV Battery

Duration depends on the applied test list. Durability tests such as vibration and thermal cycling take days, while cycle-life tests can take months. The schedule is provided together with the test list at the quote stage.

HV Battery Procedure

1The specimen description, chemistry, capacity and nominal voltage are recorded.
2Reference capacity and internal-resistance measurements are taken before the test.
3It is brought to the state of charge required by the standard.
4The relevant test (vibration, thermal shock, mechanical impact, short circuit, overcharge, etc.) is applied.
5Temperature, voltage and current are recorded continuously during the test.
6The specimen is monitored throughout the observation period after the test.
7Insulation resistance and, if applicable, remaining capacity are measured.

HV Battery Acceptance Criteria

For UNECE R100 Part II tests, the basic acceptance criterion is the absence of explosion, fire, casing rupture and hazardous electrolyte leakage throughout the observation period, and insulation resistance not falling below the value required by the standard. For performance tests, the acceptance criterion is determined by the customer's specification.

Evaluation of Results

Results are evaluated separately for each test; passing one test does not cover the others. Thermal-event propagation assessment is a separate study, beyond R100's basic test list.

HV Battery Report

Specimen description: chemistry, capacity, nominal voltage, level
Applied standard and test list
Conditions and measurement records for each test
Temperature, voltage and current graphs
Observation-period findings and photographs
Insulation-resistance results

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

UNECE R100
(EU) 2023/1542 Battery Regulation
UN 38.3 transport requirements

Otomotiv Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the HV Battery test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Automotive testing shows that a component keeps working under conditions representing the loads it will meet over the life of the vehicle. A vehicle is not a single product but an ENVIRONMENT: vibration, temperature cycling, salt water, stone impact, electrical transients and electromagnetic noise are all present at the same time and for years.

What distinguishes this family is that VEHICLE MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS sit on top of the standards. ISO and SAE publications establish the common ground; but Volkswagen, BMW, Ford, Stellantis, Toyota and Renault define different severity levels, additional tests and different acceptance criteria in their own specifications. For a component, the phrase "complies with automotive standards" is not sufficient on its own; which manufacturer's specification, and which revision of it, must be answered.

The family carries three separate processes together and they are often confused. Homologation covers the type approvals a vehicle needs to enter traffic and runs under state authority. Supplier approval means passing the vehicle manufacturer's own quality and testing requirements and is a commercial relationship. The third is design verification: the engineering team demonstrating that its own design meets its targets.

At component level the test plan is built around the LOCATION OF USE. A module in the engine bay and a module in the boot do not go through the same temperature and vibration profile; a component inside a door and one in the roof console do not see the same water and dust exposure. The ISO 16750 series is the common framework for this location-based approach.

The shift to electric vehicles has reshaped the field. High-voltage safety, insulation coordination, battery safety, charging interface conformity and the electromagnetic behaviour of high-voltage components have been added to the classical automotive test set. In a quiet vehicle, acoustic and vibration expectations have changed too; sounds once masked by the combustion engine are now audible.

The quality system side cannot be separated from testing in this field. A manufacturer under IATF 16949 presents test results in the PPAP file; measurement system analysis, process capability study and the control plan stand around the test report. A single good result is not enough — the process must be shown to be able to repeat it.

Method groups in this field

Environmental and climatic
Temperature cycling, thermal shock, damp heat, salt spray, dust and water ingress (IP), solar radiation. Severity levels vary with the mounting location.
Mechanical
Sine and random vibration, shock, mechanical loads, fastener torque and durability cycles.
Electrical
Supply voltage variations, transients (ISO 7637), reverse polarity, overvoltage, short circuit and sleep current measurements.
EMC
Component emissions (CISPR 25), radiated and conducted immunity (ISO 11452 series), electrostatic discharge (ISO 10605).
Materials and emissions
Odour, fogging and VOC emissions from interior materials; flammability; UV ageing; coating durability and stone impact.
Functional safety and cyber security
Functional safety evidence under ISO 26262 and cyber security engineering under ISO/SAE 21434; these are tied to regulation through UNECE R155 and R156.

Commonly confused in this field

An automotive report without a specification reference is not accepted in the supply chain; which OEM specification and revision was applied must be stated.
Type approval and supplier approval are different processes. A component with E-Mark approval is not thereby considered to have passed the OEM's own acceptance tests.
A result obtained on a prototype does not carry over to series production; PPAP is done with series production parts.
On the EMC side, measuring emissions alone is incomplete; immunity is a separate body of work and is more critical in a vehicle.
On electric vehicle components, high-voltage safety is a distinct competence; classical 12 V test infrastructure is not sufficient.

Which decisions these results support

Supplier component approval and the PPAP file
UNECE type approval and E-Mark marking
Design verification and durability evidence
Root cause analysis of field complaints and warranty returns
Assessing the impact of a design or supplier change

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About HV Battery

Are the tests I had done on the cell also valid for the pack?

No. Cell-level results do not demonstrate pack safety; cell arrangement, cooling, enclosure and the battery management system determine pack behaviour. Levels are tested separately.

What is the difference between UN 38.3 and R100?

UN 38.3 defines the tests required for the battery to BE TRANSPORTED and is mandatory without exception. UNECE R100 addresses in-vehicle use safety under vehicle type approval. The two serve separate purposes and do not substitute for each other.

Is thermal-event propagation testing mandatory?

Propagation assessment is a topic beyond R100's basic test list, and regulations and OEM specifications are evolving in this area. Whether it is required for your product is determined by the target market and the customer's specification.