Battery safety testing

Battery safety and abuse testing subject batteries to extreme conditions. This evaluates their performance and safety under scenarios that might occur during use but also exceeds normal operational stresses. TÜV SÜD offers a wide range of battery safety testing. Depending on the specific requirements, this may include crushing batteries, dropping them from great heights, short-circuiting them, or testing them for their fire resistance.

As we increasingly rely on lithium-ion batteries in various applications, especially electric vehicles and battery energy storage systems (BESS), thorough safety and abuse tests are crucial to prevent accidents and ensure consumer safety.

Battery safety testing helps your batteries meet global regulatory and industry standards, and verifies that they can safely withstand extreme conditions. This enhances product reliability, avoids market entry barriers, and maintains consumer trust.

Test results optimise product design by informing and improving battery engineering for enhanced safety and performance. Proving that your batteries can endure and function safely, even under extreme abuse, also minimises the risk of product recalls and liabilities.

TÜV SÜD’s global network of experts has years of battery testing experience and a deep understanding of international safety standards. Our globally recognised certifications facilitate market access worldwide and ensure compliance with safety regulations.

Our comprehensive safety and battery abuse testing services offer a complete suite of tests, from basic safety to complex abuse scenarios. The state-of-the-art laboratories use advanced technology to simulate a wide range of extreme conditions and scenarios in safe testing environments. Our customised solutions tailor testing procedures based on your specific requirements and industry standards.

Our facilities are equipped to perform various safety tests including electrical, thermal, and mechanical abuse tests, adhering to international standards like IEC, ISO, SAE, SANDIA, FreedomCar, UL and UN Regulations.

Our lithium-ion battery abuse testing covers:

• Electrical abuse tests – Overcharge, overcurrent, short circuit, over discharge.
• Thermal abuse tests – Thermal stability, thermal shock, thermal propagation, fuel fire etc.
• Mechanical abuse tests – Nail penetration, crash, crush, free fall, rollover etc.
• Customer-specific safety tests – E.g. leakage of cooling system.