SAE J2929

Description / Abstract: This SAE Standard defines a minimum set of acceptable safety criteria for a lithium-based rechargeable battery system to be considered for use in a vehicle propulsion application as an energy storage system connected to a high voltage power train. While the objective is a safe battery system when installed into a vehicle application, this Standard is primarily focused, wherever possible, on conditions which can be evaluated utilizing the battery system alone. As this is a minimum set of criteria, it is recognized that battery system and vehicle manufacturers may have additional requirements for cells, modules, packs and systems in order to assure a safe battery system for a given application.

A battery system is a completely functional energy storage system consisting of the pack(s) and necessary ancillary subsystems for physical support and enclosure, thermal management, and electronic control.

Purpose

This SAE Standard should assure that a battery system can safely be integrated into an electric or hybrid vehicle. Specifically, it is designed to assure that a single point fault will not result in fire, explosion, battery enclosure rupture or high voltage hazard. This Standard includes tests that simulate "normal" conditions and "off-normal" conditions that, although infrequent, may occur during service life. Pass/fail criteria are assigned to each test.

Future Considerations

As lithium-based rechargeable battery systems expand in their usage, new information related to safety will become available and additional international regulatory standards will be developed. This new information may result in the need to add, change or remove evaluation conditions and / or requirements in this document. Future revisions of this Standard will be developed based on this new information.