CATL partners with UL Solutions for UL 9540A testing of EV battery, BESS

Battery giant CATL and safety science expert UL Solutions have signed a MoU for strategic cooperation to help create safer deployment and use of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and batteries for electric vehicles.

As per the MoU, UL Solutions will be offering insight into the qualification of CATL's battery laboratory to become a UL Solutions Witnessed Test Data Program (WTDP) facility to test to UL 9540A, the standard for test method for evaluating thermal runaway fire propagation in battery energy storage systems. 

UL Solutions product evaluations typically involve testing product samples. Through this agreement, WTDP tests may be conducted at CATL test facilities under the supervision of UL Solutions personnel, helping to improve efficiency and shorten the time to market for battery product certification and testing, according to the company.

"Battery storage technologies are essential to speeding up the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and will play an increasingly pivotal role to help combat climate change and carbon emissions," said Weifang Zhou, executive vice president and president of Testing, Inspection and Certification at UL Solutions. 

"We are excited about our collaboration with CATL and how we are joining together to advance battery energy storage systems and EV batteries applications as well as their safety and performance potential", he added. 

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As the first laboratory in China to launch the UL Solutions WTDP initiative for UL 9540A, CATL's energy storage system laboratory will offer testing capabilities by UL Solutions through the WTDP designation. 

CATL's lab has already been qualified to test to UL 1973, the standard for batteries for use in Stationary and Motive Auxiliary Power Applications, UL 9540, the standard for energy storage systems and equipment, and UL 2580, the standard for EV batteries. 

"By cooperating with UL Solutions, we look forward to improving the scientificity and integrality of energy storage system safety testing, thus further enhancing our comprehensive testing and validation capabilities for energy storage systems," said LiBin Tan, vice president of CATL. 

He further added, "We will further leverage our state-of-the-art battery technologies to facilitate the safe deployment and use of energy storage systems, thus speeding the global energy transition and creating a healthier, promising future for all."

CATL's flagship outdoor liquid cooling battery system 'EnerOne' and 'EnerC' containerized liquid-cooling battery system have also received the latest version of UL 9540A test reports, making CATL the first company in China to complete critical cell, module, unit and installation level tests from UL Solutions.

Both parties have also claimed to leverage their expertise to carry out in-depth cooperation in further exploring lithium-ion battery safety and offer insight into developing BESS and EV battery standards. They have also vowed to collaborate more on exploring carbon footprint reduction and other sustainability efforts.