To create a sustainable UK battery manufacturing supply chain and help prepare for the phasing out of diesel and petrol vehicles by 2030, BSI, in its role as the UK National Standards Body, has published two standards as part of the Faraday Battery Challenge Standardization Programme to help support the UK’s Electric Vehicle capability.
The new standards underpin innovation and enables consistent practices in the production of batteries and the development of battery technology with guidance on health, safety and environmental considerations in battery manufacturing and use. They will support the industry by providing good practice and efficiencies as it works towards its self-sufficient battery manufacturing target in 2035, whilst supporting UK’s wider transport decarbonization and Net Zero by 2050 ambitions.
PAS 7060, Electric Vehicles – Safe and environmentally-conscious design and use of batteries – Guide1, gives guidance for the health, safety and environmental considerations in the process of vehicle design, battery integration and battery use for electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). It is intended to create efficiencies in the vehicle manufacturing cycle, de-risk batteries in use, optimize re-use and recycling of batteries and ultimately improve consumer confidence in EVs and PHEVs. It covers general health, safety, competency and environmental impact considerations in vehicle design and use, and provides a specific focus on vehicle manufacture, repair, recycling and health data.
PAS 7062, Electric vehicle battery cells – Health and safety, environmental and quality management considerations in cell manufacturing and finished cell – Code of practice, gives recommendations for the health and safety, fire and environmental performance and quality management in the manufacture of battery cells, such as the lithium-ion liquid electrolyte cell, for electrically-propelled vehicles. The new standard is intended to establish a common understanding and approach to EV battery cell manufacture and use. It covers 12 themes including sourcing; chemical management (occupational health, personnel safety); waste handling; and environmental impact.
Nick Fleming, head of mobility and transport standards at BSI, said: “These new PAS will support UK battery manufacturing capability and the future supply chain for Electric Vehicles that in-turn can make an important contribution to decarbonization of the transport sector and meeting Net Zero ambitions. The new standards will help to promote good design, manufacturing and handling practices, protecting both people and the environment, and will raise consumer confidence in the safety of EV battery technology.”
Tony Harper, Faraday Battery Challenge director, said: “Codifying what we know collectively in UK about the safe manufacture of batteries from cells to vehicles will enable the UK to consolidate and grow a sustainable, prosperous and productive cutting-edge industry here. These publicly available specifications are testament to the quality of engineers in the UK both professionally and ethically. We will continue to build and collaborate with BSI to ensure the UK has the standards and the knowledge base that we need.”
The standards have been developed by two separate steering groups2 made-up of technical experts from organizations in the battery manufacturing and automotive industries, regulatory bodies, representatives of the UK research and development community and consumer interest groups.
The Faraday Battery Challenge Standardization Programme is delivered with support from UK Research and Innovation as part of the government’s wider £317m investment to address the UK productivity gap in the EV market. The standards are intended to help scale-up and advance the production, safe use and recycling of batteries in the UK, in a growing market worth an estimated £5bn in the UK and £50bn across Europe by 2025.
