Ul2271 Battery Certification

The UL2271 certification is a critical safety standard for batteries used in LEVs. The certification ensures that batteries are safe to use and helps to promote the adoption of LEVs.

What is the UL2271 certification?

UL2271 is a standard for batteries used in Light Electric Vehicles (LEV) that was released in December 2016 by Underwriters Laboratories a global safety science organization. The standard covers the safety requirements for the design, manufacture, and testing of lithium-ion batteries used in LEVs.

It has become a necessity for all lithium batteries used in light electric vehicles (LEV) being traded in the US to be certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) in order to ensure the safety of both the user and the product. The UL2271 standard was created in order to ensure that all batteries used in EVs meet a certain level of safety.

The UL2271 standard is based on the existing UL 1642 standard for lithium-ion batteries, with additional requirements specific to batteries used in EVs. The standard is intended to address the unique hazards associated with lithium-ion batteries, such as thermal runaway, overcharging, and over-discharging.

The UL2271 standard is voluntary, but many light electric vehicle manufacturers are choosing to certify their batteries to the standard in order to give consumers assurance of the safety of their products.

Tritek batteries can pass all the necessary test and get the UL 2271 certification if our customer needs it.

—>Understand the importance of UL 2271 for your e-bike business.

Areas covered by the UL2271 standard

The UL2271 standard covers three main areas:

1. Safety requirements for the design and manufacture of lithium-ion batteries used in EVs.

The safety requirements cover design aspects such as battery pack assembly, cell selection, thermal management, and overcharge protection.

Before attaining the UL2271 standard certification, each battery must go through a series of tests.

The UL2271 standard tests include:

1. Thermal runaway test
2. Overcharge test
3. Over-discharge test
4. Crush test
5. External short-circuit test
6. Impact test
7. Water immersion test
8. Thermal cycling test
9. Vibration test
10. Forced discharge test

After a battery has successfully passed all of the required safety tests, it can be certified to the UL2271 standard.

In order for a battery to be certified to the UL 2271 standard, it must be tested by an independent third-party laboratory that is accredited by Underwriters Laboratories.

For the LEV lithium-ion batteries to qualify for this certification, the manufacturer must provide data that demonstrates that the battery meets or exceeds the requirements of each test.

2. Requirements for the labeling of lithium batteries used in EVs

In order for a battery to be certified to the UL 2271 standard, it must be labeled with the following information:

• The name and address of the manufacturer
• The date of manufacture
• The serial number
• The type of battery
• The voltage
• The capacity
• The maximum charge current
• The maximum discharge current
• The maximum charge voltage
• The minimum discharge voltage
• The cycle of life
• The calendar life
• The warranty period
• The country of origin
• The UL logo

The UL2271 standard also requires that the battery be labeled with a warning that states that the battery must not be exposed to temperatures above 140°F (60°C) or below -4°F (-20°C).

3. Requirements for the transportation of lithium-ion batteries for light electric vehicle

Lithium-ion batteries used in LEVs must be transported in accordance with the regulations of the United Nations, the International Maritime Organization, and the International Air Transport Association.

The transportation requirements include labeling the batteries with the proper shipping labels and packing the batteries in approved containers.

Certification criteria

During the UL certification process, all lithium batteries below 1500wh are tested with UL2580 cells. Tritek battery manufacturer submits 18 sample cells for tests and the process takes not more than 10 weeks.

For lithium batteries with over 1500wh, the Tritek LEV battery manufacturer submit 18 sample cells. We wait for 8 weeks before receiving an update on the qualification.

The certification of these two is voluntary and only those willing to adhere to such standards can do so.

In the USA the UL2271 for scooters is mandatory and all distributors of lithium batteries for scooters must undergo the process of quality verification. This process takes 10 weeks once the manufacturer sends 18 sample cells to the UL.

Batteries that are certified to the UL2271 standard have been tested to ensure that they are safe to use in LEVs. This certification provides peace of mind to LEV owners and helps to promote the adoption of LEVs.

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Read more:

1. Why UL2271 battery important for ebike?
2. FCC Certification
3. IEC 60364-1