IEC 62660-2:2018

Overview

IEC 62660-2:2018 - Secondary lithium‑ion cells for the propulsion of electric road vehicles - Part 2: Reliability and abuse testing specifies standardized test procedures to observe the reliability and abuse behaviour of secondary lithium‑ion cells and cell blocks used for propulsion in electric vehicles (BEV, HEV). This edition (2018) is a technical revision of the 2010 standard and clarifies test procedures (e.g., forced discharge), adds cell block to the scope, revises overcharge conditions, and removes the option for temperature cycling with electrical operation.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope & purpose: Standardized methods for obtaining essential data on reliability and abuse behaviour of traction lithium‑ion cells to support battery‑system and pack design.
• Test categories:
  • Mechanical: vibration, mechanical shock, crush tests to assess mechanical robustness under vehicle conditions and accident scenarios.
  • Thermal: high‑temperature endurance and temperature cycling to evaluate thermal stability and performance under operating and extreme environmental cycles.
  • Electrical: external short circuit, overcharge, forced discharge tests to characterize electrical abuse behaviour and failure modes.
• Measurement and instrumentation: Requirements for voltage, current, temperature and other measurement ranges, tolerances and thermal stabilization procedures to ensure repeatability and comparability.
• Result classification: The standard defines a uniform classification and description framework for test outcomes (note: IEC 62660‑2 does not set pass/fail criteria; results are used by designers and manufacturers to assess suitability for specific pack/vehicle designs).
• Cell blocks: Inclusion of cell blocks alongside individual cells expands applicability to pre‑assembled modules used in some battery systems.

Practical applications and users

IEC 62660‑2 is essential for stakeholders involved in EV battery development, safety assessment, and integration:

• Battery cell manufacturers - to benchmark cell robustness and provide standardized test data to customers.
• Battery pack and system designers - to inform mechanical, thermal and electrical protective strategies in pack architecture.
• Automotive OEMs and suppliers - to evaluate supplier parts and to align specification requirements for BEV/HEV applications.
• Test laboratories and certification bodies - to perform repeatable, internationally recognized reliability and abuse tests.
• R&D teams - to compare chemistry and design variants under standardized abuse conditions.

Related standards (for design and safety context)

• IEC 62660‑1 - Performance testing of lithium‑ion cells for EVs.
• IEC 62660‑3 - Safety requirements for lithium‑ion cells for EVs.
• ISO 12405 series - Test specifications for lithium‑ion battery packs and systems.

Keywords: IEC 62660-2:2018, lithium‑ion cells, reliability testing, abuse testing, electric vehicles, BEV, HEV, cell block, overcharge test, forced discharge, temperature cycling, battery pack design.