ISO 6469-3:2021

Overview - ISO 6469-3:2021 (Electrical safety for EVs)

ISO 6469-3:2021, "Electrically propelled road vehicles - Safety specifications - Part 3: Electrical safety", specifies electrical safety requirements for voltage class B electric circuits used in electric propulsion systems and conductively connected auxiliary systems. The standard focuses on protecting persons against electric shock and thermal incidents in electrically propelled road vehicles. It is part of the ISO 6469 series and complements other standards covering post-crash, conductive charging and wireless power transfer.

Key topics and technical requirements

ISO 6469-3:2021 addresses the following technical topics (high-level summary only - see the standard for full requirements):

• Voltage classes and marking
  • Definitions and marking requirements for voltage class B components and wiring (including B1/B2 distinctions).
• Protection against electric shock
  • Basic protection (for fault‑free conditions) and fault protection measures.
  • Equipotential bonding and continuity requirements to reduce touch voltages.
  • Insulation requirements, creepage/clearance coordination, and protective enclosures/barriers.
  • Requirements for connectors, capacitive coupling/discharge provisions, and alternative protection approaches.
• Thermal incident protection
  • Overload and short‑circuit protection measures for preventing thermal hazards from wiring, power electronics and energy storage systems.
• Vehicle power supply circuit and documentation
  • Requirements for the vehicle power supply circuit and information to be provided in the owner’s manual.
• Test procedures
  • Specified tests such as continuity for equipotential bonding, isolation resistance measurements, touch current, and withstand voltage tests (including tests for power sources that cannot be de‑energized).

Applications - who uses ISO 6469-3:2021

This standard is relevant to:

• EV manufacturers (safety design and system compliance)
• Component suppliers (battery systems, power electronics, connectors)
• Test laboratories (type‑approval and component testing using prescribed test procedures)
• Safety and compliance engineers (risk assessment, insulation coordination, labeling)
• Regulators and certification bodies (vehicle safety verification)

ISO 6469-3 helps ensure safe design practices for electrically propelled road vehicles and supports compliance activities for protecting occupants, service personnel and the public from electrical and thermal hazards.

Related standards

• ISO 6469-4 - post-crash electrical safety
• ISO 17409 - conductive power transfer (charging) safety
• ISO 19363 - wireless power transfer safety
• ISO 13063 series - electrical safety for motorcycles and mopeds

Keywords: ISO 6469-3:2021, electrical safety, electrically propelled road vehicles, voltage class B, isolation resistance, equipotential bonding, electric shock protection, thermal incident protection, EV safety standard.