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UL Solutions North America Advanced Battery Laboratory

Our new facility in Auburn Hills, Mich. offers comprehensive testing services for batteries used in electric vehicles (EV) and stationary applications.

North America Advanced Battery laboratory rendering

 

As the energy transition drives electrification in the automotive and other transportation industries and the surging demand for battery energy storage systems (BESS), UL Solutions  has opened the doors  of its North America Advanced Battery Laboratory in the Auburn Hills Oakland Technology Park complex, near one of the world’s largest automotive hubs — Detroit, Mich.      

At this facility, UL Solutions experts use cutting-edge battery testing equipment and methodologies to deliver comprehensive safety testing and performance services for the EV and Industrial batteries markets — all under one roof.

Testing services for electric vehicles (EVs)

UL Solutions offers comprehensive automotive battery testing services at the cell, module and pack levels to validate performance, reliability, safety and other key characteristics that help differentiate your products.

We stand committed to supporting the electrification of the automotive and other transportation industries by testing and certifying electric vehicle (EV) batteries for compliance with standards, regulatory requirements and original manufacturer (OEM) specifications. We can also create customized testing service packages to meet our customers’ specific needs.

UL Solutions offers battery testing services for:

  • Passenger vehicles
  • Commercial vehicles
  • Industrial vehicles
  • Buses
  • Class 8 trucks
  • E-motorcycles
  • Construction, agriculture and mining vehicles
  • Recreational vehicles, including snowmobiles, golf carts and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
  • Watercraft
  • Aircraft
  • Airport ground support equipment (GSE)

Performance and abuse testing

  • Thermal propagation/exposure
  • Damp heat testing
  • Splash water testing
  • Immersion thermal shock testing (IPX7)
  • Stone impact testing
  • High-temperature operation endurance (HTOE) lifecycle testing
  • Crush and nail penetration testing

Automotive and EV battery regulatory standards and requirements

  • UN 38.3, United Nations (UN) Manual of Tests and Criteria, Lithium Metal and Lithium-Ion Batteries
  • VW 80000, Volkswagen
  • GMW 16390, GMW 3172, General Motors Worldwide
  • CS.00056, Stellantis
  • SDS, TSC3000G, Ford
  • FMVSS, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
  • CMVSS, Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
  • GB 38031, Safety Requirements for EV Cells and Systems for On-road Applications
  • KMVSS, Korean motor vehicle safety standards
  • LV 124, German automotive manufacturer testing standards
  • UL 2580, Standard for Batteries for Use in Electric Vehicles
  • SAE J2929, Safety Standard for Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Propulsion Battery Systems Utilizing Lithium-based Rechargeable Cells
  • SAE J1798, Performance Rating of Electric Vehicle Battery Modules
  • SAE J2380, Vibration Testing of Electric Vehicle Batteries
  • UNECE R100 and R136, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles about specific requirements for the electric power train
  • IS0 6469-1, Electrically Propelled Road Vehicles — Safety Specifications — Part 1: Rechargeable Energy Storage System (RESS)
  • IEC 62660-3, Secondary Lithium-ion Cells for the Propulsion of Electric Road Vehicles — Part 3: Safety Requirements
  • IEC 63057, Secondary Cells and Batteries Containing Alkaline or Other Non-acid Electrolytes — Safety Requirements for Secondary Lithium Batteries for Use in Road Vehicles Not for the Propulsion

Testing for industrial batteries

UL Solutions can test and certify lead-acid, lithium and other forms of electrical, electrochemical, thermal and mechanical energy used in industrial stationary batteries, uninterrupted power supply (UPS) and energy storage devices. We test to standards and requirements for batteries and energy storage products destined for North American, European and Asian markets, including the following:

  • UL 991, the Standard for Tests for Safety-Related Controls Employing Solid-State Devices
  • UL 1973, the Standard for Batteries for Use in Stationary and Motive Auxiliary Power Applications
  • UL 1998, the Standard for Software in Programmable Components
  • UL 9540, the Standard for Energy Storage Systems and Equipment
  • UL 9540A, the Standard for Test Method for Evaluating Thermal Runaway Fire Propagation in Battery Energy Storage Systems
  • UN/DOT 38.3, United Nations (UN) Manual of Tests and Criteria, Lithium Metal, Lithium Ion and Sodium Ion Batteries
  • UL 2743, the Standard for Portable Power Packs
  • UL 1989, the Standard for Standby Batteries
  • IEC 62619, Safety of Lithium Batteries
  • IEC 63056, Secondary Cells and Batteries Containing Alkaline or Other Non-acid Electrolytes — Safety Requirements for Secondary Lithium Cells and Batteries, for Use in Industrial Applications

Cutting-edge equipment, technology and methodologies

At our 89,000-square-foot facility, our team of specialized engineers and technicians will use state-of-the-art equipment, technology and methodologies to deliver robust battery testing services. Our industry-leading equipment includes:

Fully automated control system

  • MORPHEE® by the FEV Group
  • FLEX Lab™

State-of-the-art fire test cells

  • Multiple fire suppression systems
  • Thermal and visible light cameras
  • Reinforced walls and explosion-rated blow-out panels
  • Testing for fire resistance, nail penetration and crush tests

Vibration systems with thermal chambers (-40°C-85°C)

  • IMV K350
    • 70K force load
    • 350 kilonewtons (kN) in sine
    • 900 kN in shock
    • Maximum load: 3,000 kilograms (kg), not including slip table/head expander
    • Slip table: approximately 2.7 meters (m) × 2.7 m
    • Head expander: approximately 2.0 m × 1.6 m
    • Water cooled
  • Drop test
    • Adjustable height
    • Maximum load: 1,500 kg IMV K200
    • 45K force load
    • 200 kN in sine
    • 800 kN in shock
    • Maximum load: 2,000 kg, not including slip table/head expander
    • Slip table: approximately 2.7 m × 2.7 m
    • Head expander: approximately 2.0 m × 1.6 m
    • Water cooled
  • Environmental test equipment 
    • Environmental chambers (-40°C-90°C, relative humidity (RH) control)
      • 2.3 m (height) × 2.2 m (width) × 3.1 m (depth), or 15.7 m3
      • Ramp rates up to 4.5°C/minute on select chambers
    • High altitude simulation/vacuum chamber
      • 1 m (height) × 1 m (width) × 1.5 m (depth), or 1.5 m3
    • Thermal shock immersion (IPX7)
      • 3.2 m3
      • 60°C-90°C
    • IPX1/2 drip device
      • Maximum sample size: 2.5 m × 1.7 m (~3 m maximum diagonal)
    • IPX9K Device
      • Maximum sample size: 2.5 m × 1.7 m (~3 m maximum diagonal)
  • Additional safety, abuse and performance test equipment
    • Crush
      • Maximum sample size: 2.8 m × 1.8 m × 0.75 m, or 3.7 m3
      • Maximum force: 300 kN
      • Maximum load: 1,500 kg max load
    • Nail penetration – cell
      • Maximum sample size: 30 cm × 30 cm × 20 cm, or 18,000 m3
      • Maximum force: 5 kN
    • Nail penetration – module/pack
      • Maximum sample size: 2.5 m × 1.7 m × 0.75 m, or 3 m3
      • Maximum force: 5 kN
    • Short circuit
      • 1,000 volts (V), 4,000 amperes (A)
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