EV safety information

EV safety information covers the hazards of a traction battery in a vehicle, including electrical, thermal, mechanical, and chemical risks, and the measures that protect against them. Safety requirements for batteries are set out in Article 12 and Annex V of Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, with safety parameters and tests that apply to the categories specified, read with vehicle safety law for the vehicle as a whole. The battery record must state the safety tests applied to the battery, the configuration tested, the battery management system protection functions, and the emergency information for first responders and repairers. A safety file that names only a standard, without results and configuration, does not allow a later checker to judge whether the battery in a vehicle matches the battery that was tested.

EV safety information means the documented hazards, protection functions, test results, and emergency information for a traction battery. The scope covers the battery model and vehicle application stated, including the battery management system.

How is the EV category decided?

EV safety information applies to that category, and the record should state the vehicle category, the weight basis, and the reason the battery falls inside the definition. Article 12 is the operative provision for the point in question, and Annex XIII sets the passport content where a passport applies. A safety engineer compiling the safety file for a traction battery pack should not assume that a traction battery for another vehicle type follows the same entry. A pack file should state the thermal propagation test result, the enclosure and venting design, the overcharge and short circuit protection functions, and the emergency disconnect procedure, each tied to the pack configuration and dated.

How are model and individual layers kept separate?

For EV safety information, the record should keep the two layers separate, with a link from the individual record to the model record. Safety test reports, protection function records, and emergency sheets for a model value should name the test or calculation method and the date, while evidence for an individual value should name the measurement, the date, and the source system, such as the battery management system. Thermal runaway and thermal propagation are distinct phenomena, and the record should use the terms as the test standard uses them, with the test conditions stated, rather than use the two terms interchangeably.

How are performance values stated?

For EV safety information, a capacity value, a power value, a cycle life value, or a capacity retention value should state the test conditions, the reference temperature, the charge and discharge rates, and the end point used. A safety engineer compiling the safety file for a traction battery pack should record which requirement applies to the EV battery in question and which requirement does not, with the article reference. A pack file should state the thermal propagation test result, the enclosure and venting design, the overcharge and short circuit protection functions, and the emergency disconnect procedure, each tied to the pack configuration and dated.

How is use phase information recorded?

For EV safety information, state of health, cycle count, temperature history, and fault history, where recorded, should be tied to the unique identifier and dated, so a later reader can see the sequence. Safety test reports, protection function records, and emergency sheets should include the data extraction date and the version of the software or method used, where that information is available. Thermal runaway and thermal propagation are distinct phenomena, and the record should use the terms as the test standard uses them, with the test conditions stated, rather than use the two terms interchangeably.

How are repair and second life operations distinguished?

For EV safety information, the record should name the operation, the operator who carried it out, the date, the parts changed, and the tests applied after the operation. A safety engineer compiling the safety file for a traction battery pack should check whether a new passport, a linked passport, or an updated passport is required for the operation, and should record the reasoning. A pack file should state the thermal propagation test result, the enclosure and venting design, the overcharge and short circuit protection functions, and the emergency disconnect procedure, each tied to the pack configuration and dated.

How is access and handover handled?

For EV safety information, the passport access rules in Article 77 set different levels for the public, for persons with a legitimate interest, and for authorities and notified bodies, and the record should not promise wider access than the Regulation allows. Thermal runaway and thermal propagation are distinct phenomena, and the record should use the terms as the test standard uses them, with the test conditions stated, rather than use the two terms interchangeably. A safety engineer compiling the safety file for a traction battery pack should retain the handover record with the identifier, so a later dispute can be traced to a dated transfer.

How is a safety file checked for one pack configuration?

Checking a safety file for one configuration starts with the configuration list: chemistry, cell type, module layout, enclosure, and battery management system version. Each test report is checked for the same configuration and a dated result, covering thermal, electrical, and mechanical safety as applicable. A worked file shows the configuration, the thermal propagation result, the protection functions, and the emergency information, each linked to the configuration version. A report for a different enclosure is marked as not applicable, and a new test or a reasoned equivalence note is filed. The emergency sheet is checked for the disconnect procedure and the first responder information for the actual pack, not for a generic pack.

Safety information is only useful if it describes the battery in the vehicle, and a generic safety statement that fits every pack describes no pack in particular.