Battery testing

Validate the safety and reliability of your batteries.

How does battery testing contribute to product development and safety?

Battery testing plays a critical role in product development and safety by ensuring that batteries meet performance, reliability and safety standards. This is vital in a variety of battery usage applications including electric vehicles, rail, marine, aerospace, grid storage, wireless devices and products, and medical devices. As battery technology rapidly evolves, consumers expect consistent high levels of safety and quality, resulting in a wide range of local, regional and global battery testing standards.

TÜV SÜD helps manufacturers, suppliers, developers and other industry players from a wide range of industries meet these standards and identify potential failure risks and hazards such as overheating, leakage or explosion early in the development process. As your trusted partner, we will validate your battery's conformity and performance, enhancing battery safety, reliability, performance and consumer trust. It also helps you reduce the risk of costly product recalls and speed up your time to market.

Why battery testing is important

Batteries must not pose any danger to people, not even under extreme conditions. They should therefore be evaluated thoroughly with an effective set of battery tests before they are put into use. The tests ensure that batteries fulfil legal, industry and manufacturer requirements to be able to achieve battery certification.

Working with TÜV SÜD as an expert partner for battery testing will provide multiple benefits to you:

Expertise and development support – Stay ahead of the technological development with experts who are at the forefront of the battery industry with in-depth knowledge of latest regulations and battery testing standards and innovative testing methods.
Cost and time efficiency – Save time and money with reliable battery tests that reduce warranty claims, time to market, and R&D activities.
Market confidence and competitive advantage – Work with a TIC service provider for testing and certification, supporting you through the entire value chain from component to final product. Gain a globally recognised TÜV SÜD certificate to increase market presence and gain competitive advantage.
Battery compliance and certification – Meet local, regional, and global battery testing standards and obtain battery certification that helps you gain customer confidence by providing safe, reliable and high-quality batteries for various industries.

How TÜV SÜD can help you with battery testing

TÜV SÜD is your trusted and neutral third-party technical service provider for battery testing. Our holistic approach and commitment to safety will ensure the reliability and quality of your batteries.

Our service portfolio covers battery tests for a host of different uses: electric vehicles and off-road, e-bikes, aerospace, rail and waterborne transport, stationary energy storage systems, grid storage, and uninterruptable power supplies (UPS) as well as various consumer electrical products and medical devices.

This versatility, combined with years of international experience and knowledge about the global regulatory landscape, modern test equipment and highly competent experts, makes TÜV SÜD the ideal partner for your battery testing needs.

We serve your worldwide needs through our expanding network of battery testing laboratories throughout North America, Germany, China, Korea, Thailand, Japan and Singapore. This global testing network provides services for all types of battery testing and validation, facilitating your international market access.

Our interdisciplinary expertise will add value to your product development, and you can rely on our global network of experts for international market access and in-country experience. We support you testing your batteries at all levels, with tests in the electrical, chemical, corrosive, mechanical and abusive domain.

Get started with TÜV SÜD

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Request our services for your battery testing needs.

What our battery testing service includes

We offer battery testing services to ensure that your products meet the highest levels of quality and safety while ensuring compliance with relevant standards and regulations.

We test and certify your batteries to various global battery testing standards including, but not limited to:

IEC 62619 – Safety requirements for secondary lithium cells and batteries, for use in industrial applications.
IEC 62660 – Secondary lithium-ion cells for the propulsion of electric road vehicles.
GB 38031 – Electric vehicles traction battery safety requirements.
SAE J2464 – Electric and hybrid electric vehicle Rechargeable Energy Storage System (RESS) safety and abuse testing.
UN 38.3 – Recommendations on the transport of dangerous goods – manual of tests and criteria part III 38.3.
UL 2580 – Standard for safety – batteries for use in electric vehicles.
UN ECE R100 – Uniform provisions concerning the approval of battery electric vehicles about specific requirements for the construction and functional safety.
IEC 62620 – Secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes for use in industrial applications.
UL 1973 – Standard for batteries for use in stationary, vehicle auxiliary power and light electric rail (LER) applications.
UL 9540 and UL 9540A – Energy Storage System (ESS) requirements and test method for evaluating thermal runaway fire propagation in battery energy storage systems.

Our battery testing expertise includes the following:

Battery safety and battery abuse testing

We test in extreme environmental conditions and beyond standard operating conditions. This enables more accurate risk assessments and helps you know about product risks early in development. Based on this you are able to find suitable countermeasures early and avoid delays in the final phase of development.

We provide dynamic impact testing simulating crashes to determine the true safety performance of the battery in case of an accident or heavy impact. TÜV SÜD can perform dynamic impact tests for various types of batteries and battery sizes and provide advice on the optimum test design including impactor geometry.

Battery performance and lifecycle testing

We verify how your battery is performing against specifications, be it in terms of lifetime or power output. Through this, you can show the quality and efficiency of the battery system to your customers. Also, we can implement high performance profiles to simulate use cases and system boundaries of your battery.

Our battery tests include lifecycle and calendar life testing as well as battery characterisation. Our experts can customise the testing setup to your individual and specific customer requirements.

Battery environmental and durability testing

We support you in demonstrating the quality, performance and reliability of your battery under various environmental conditions by providing battery tests such as vibration, thermal and mechanical shock, EMC, thermal cycling, corrosion, dust, salt and humidity. This helps you evaluate the effect of external influences on your battery and prove performance under all circumstances.

Battery certification and global market access

We support you in ensuring that you can transport your batteries safely and access markets worldwide according to the applicable legal requirements. To achieve battery compliance we provide the relevant tests for it.

We conduct battery tests for the United Nations requirements (UN 38.3) for the safe transportation of lithium cells and batteries. In addition, we provide testing according to several safety standards (such as IEC 62133, UL 1642) and performance standards (for example IEC 61960-3).
We test your stationary batteries according to the special requirements towards safety, particularly for the European market, including the Low Voltage Directive (2014/35/EU), the EMC Directive (2014/30/EU) and the Battery Directive (2006/66/EC).
We conduct approval tests required under ECE-R100 and other international standards for the global market access of electric vehicles and support you along the whole approval process

How battery testing applies to industries

Battery testing for automotive

Battery testing is essential for the safety, reliability and performance of electric and hybrid vehicles. Our automotive battery testing services help batteries meet safety standards, perform reliably, and last longer. We also validate the range, charging time and energy efficiency of batteries, and implement very high-power profiles to validate fast charging or simulate laps on the racetrack. We also offer non-destructive physical crash testing.

Battery testing for rail

Battery testing ensures the safety, reliability, and efficiency of batteries used in various rail applications, including hybrid and fully electric trains. Thorough testing verifies that batteries can withstand demanding operating conditions such as vibration, temperature fluctuations, and long service life requirements. It also optimises battery performance for energy storage systems that support regenerative braking and onboard power supply.

Battery testing for consumer products and retail

Battery testing ensures the safety, reliability and performance of batteries in consumer electronics devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, wearable technology, and smart home solutions. Testing ensures that batteries can withstand daily use and environmental stressors while maintaining safety and functionality. By verifying battery life, charge cycles, and performance metrics, you can deliver products with longevity and efficiency.

Battery testing for energy

Battery testing is critical in renewable energy to ensure the effective storage and utilisation of energy generated from sources like solar and wind. Batteries must be tested for their capacity, efficiency, and durability to validate their safety and consistency. Testing helps identify and mitigate potential stability and reliability issues. Thus, it supports the integration of renewable energy into the grid and promotes energy sustainability.

Battery testing for manufacturing

Battery testing is important to ensure the reliability and safety of batteries used in machinery, equipment, and backup power systems. Industrial batteries often operate in harsh environments and under heavy loads, so testing for durability, capacity, and safety is crucial. Proper battery testing helps prevent equipment downtime, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure worker safety by mitigating the risks associated with battery failures.

Battery testing for medical devices

Battery testing of medical devices ensures that batteries used in healthcare equipment are safe and reliable. This includes pacemakers, defibrillators, infusion pumps, and portable diagnostic tools. Testing verifies that these batteries can deliver consistent power and function correctly over long periods, assuring patient safety. By validating battery compliance with regulatory standards, battery testing supports medical technology development.