June 24, 2019
TOKYO, June 24, 2019 – UL, a global safety science organization, has issued the certification to UL 2251, the standard for plugs, receptacles, and couplers for electric vehicles, for high power charging connectors manufactured by Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., based in Osaka, Japan.
UL 2251 now covers “high power charging boost mode” technology specified by the CHAdeMO Association in March 2017. This evaluation method was developed in collaboration with Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. The new technology that enables quicker charging is expected to enhance the convenience of electric vehicles.
In order to meet an increasing need for safety requirements applicable to the high power charging technology and help promote deployment of safer electric vehicles, UL rapidly committed to develop the new requirement and issued a Certification Requirement Decision (CRD) to the UL Standard 2251 for additional features to safely implement the high power boost-mode, and the certification in accordance with UL 2251 CRD, which is the first in the world, was successfully issued by UL this time.
The electric vehicle (EV) industry is moving toward two forms of high power charging, dynamic current control and active cooling. For the EV connectors covered by UL 2251, the additional evaluation for the special use of the end products needs to be addressed in the component certification in conjunction with general evaluation. Specifying the requirements for dynamic current control and active cooling in the CRD allows quick charger manufacturers to select a safe connector suitable for high power charging.
The clear specification of the properties stated in the CRD helps manufacturers design and produce safe connectors appropriate for use with high power chargers.
“The objective of product safety for high power charging requires manufacturers to take additional safety measures against high current and the subsequent heat.” said Hidehiko Yamajo, UL’s vice president and managing director for Japan. “We’ve pushed forward with our research efforts to pursue large-scale e-mobility safety. By keeping up with the advancement of new technologies, we continue to develop safety standards and offer product certifications to support the creation of a next-generation mobile society.”
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