Suitable battery packs for ECE R100

[Cruiser]

Hello and thanks for a great forum!

I'm planning to convert Toyota pick up to electric with Leaf stack + original gearbox. My car is year 2014 and I'm located in EU, so I believe I have to follow ECE R100 regulation with battery.

Have I understood correctly, that the battery pack needs to be original in all ways? So the modules cannot be repacked in self made housings?

If so, is there any square shape c. 40kW batteries, which could be installed under the hood to keep the axle load almost same?

[muehlpower]

I don't know where in Europe you live. In Germany, the box does not have to be certified, but only approximately correspond to the r100. More details can be found in the VDTÜV 764 leaflet. Felton sells a box for use in the engine compartment, I don't think it's R100 certified, but it looks well made.

https://fellten.com/ubp55e/

[rstevens81]

Have you read r100 in regards to battery boxes? For intense if the battery box is more than 30cm from the fwd/aft point crush testing is not required. So basically then it's very easy to meet. Interns of off the shelf, most OEM battery boxes will be crush tested just for completeness and transportation reasons however you'll not likely to get a certificate for one.
Best off trying to read r100 and then ask some questions to the appropriate body in your country to find out out to forfills them...if you want a done solution it's going to cost youn$$$€€€€

[arber333]

Have you read r100 in regards to battery boxes? For intense if the battery box is more than 30cm from the fwd/aft point crush testing is not required. So basically then it's very easy to meet. Interns of off the shelf, most OEM battery boxes will be crush tested just for completeness and transportation reasons however you'll not likely to get a certificate for one.
Best off trying to read r100 and then ask some questions to the appropriate body in your country to find out out to forfills them...if you want a done solution it's going to cost youn$$$€€€€

That is the new merkblatt.
I remember some of the rest of requirements, which were a bit contradicting...
- battery box needs to be sealed vs some form of exhaust to be provided in case of battery fire. I simply made a hole and made a rubber membrane which would be detached in case of gasses. You need to provide means to equalize natural pressure differential too. Much like membrane at the back of the car when you close the door.

Here is a list of some of the demands they made:
1. All HV cables visible need to be in orange colour (or shroud). I used orange tubing...
2. Additionaly all HV wires need to be fixed into place, not subject to vibration, i use metal clamps wrapped in some heatshrink tube
3. All HV cables going through metal walls (boxes) need to be fixed/gripped by plastic gromets so vibration would not chaff the cable insulation
4. All items need to be firmly gripped, bolted on, plastic ties etc...
5. Battery box covers need to be sealed! I am talking of O-ring or window seal.
6. Battery box needs to be insulated on the inside where battery sits. Especially the cover. I used Tesla battery separators to insulate metal under my cover. I glued it with black car gasket glue.
7. Batteries need to be firmly installed inside box. They check that by hand!
8. HV connectors on the outside the car need to be waterproof IP65 rating.
9. All connectors that can be dissassembled by hand only, need to be protected by another cover.
10. All components installed need to have visible labels or one needs to present them with a photo evidence. Guess what... i need to make a photo of my inverter cover plate!
11. They make a test drive
12. There has to be an emergency plan. Like a drawing on the HV cable routing and location of HV devices and emergency switches etc... it is called "Rettungsplan"
13. There is a demand to declare battery box content in battery cell configuration and in kW. I made stickers on the cover.
14. Maximal voltage is derived from that parameters. I surprised them when i declared lower maximal voltage they expected. I explained them i will not charge more than 4.05V per cell and that ammounts to 389Vdc. They expected 4.2V per cell.
15. Also they demand battery box has a vent on the lowest part to vent gas that may form inside box. I used 2x regular 8mm tire vents and simply bolted them from the inside out.
16. Also all removable battery box covers, battery boxes, DCDC, Charger, inverter and motor that is not welded in need to be connected to car chassis by 6mm2 discharge cable. I used braided copper cable shield from some cables that i took apart for signals. In any case you need good connection between motor - inverter- chassis because of signal immunity!
17. You need to weigh an empty car when conversion is complete. I did it at a scrap yard where they can also issue you some official receipt. Mine is now 1.450Kg whereas with old gas guzzler it was 1.650kg! Quite an improvement over all hydraulic ATX and large 3,0L V6 engine.
18. We derived max speed from motor max declared RPM divided by final drive ratio. I think it is 158km/h which is still respectable i think.

[Cruiser]

Thank you guys! I'm located in Finland.

I red through the VDTÜV 764 leaflet and there stays really clear that box can be selfmade. There was also many other clarifications to R100.

I also red the ECE R100 again but it seems to be written in complicated way. As you pointed the distances to avoid crash tests, I see and understand it now. There is also many other points like fire protection which fears me. Am I right that cells used in automotive industy have been tested separately and therefore the self made battery boxes are approved in Germany?

Unfortunately we don't have any nice national leaflets with clear information. I have asked few local Tüv guys, but they were not really helpful nor were they familiar with interpretation of R100.

The Fellten solution looks really nice and seems to have that R100 certification also, but before I ask their price, I want to be sure if I'm anyhow able to get self made box road legal.

[Jacobsmess]

Celeron55 is Finnish I believe and I think has a running conversion.
viewtopic.php?p=69603#p69603 here is their project thread.
They might be able to help navigate things.
Hauska tutustua!

[arber333]

Thank you guys! I'm located in Finland.

I red through the VDTÜV 764 leaflet and there stays really clear that box can be selfmade. There was also many other clarifications to R100.

I also red the ECE R100 again but it seems to be written in complicated way.

ECE R100 was written at UN. It was made for all nations not just EU hence the vague language.

[evMacGyver]

This is very timely topic, as today I was doing MOT test for my converted 2008 VW Transporter. Everything else was fine, but they interpreted national rule that I would need certified conversion for E rule 100. I think its the same as ECE R100?

For my earlier conversion of BMW from year 2001 this rule text is bit more clear, where inspector can verify things, like no risk for electrical shocks, batteries are mounted well, there is indicator for direction and if driver door is opened there is notification (or simply interlock throttle).

Inspector did not know what exactly need to be certified and now that I have think this its must be separate components; motor, inverter and charger is from Outlander, battery modules in my custom made box are from BMW PHEV. Custom made battery box -> no good and needs to be tested.

So for now I think that I simply move battery modules back to BMW casing which is tested and certified. I really don't know what else could be certified as other HV components are certified.

[Cruiser]

I think Celeron's car is older so in our country that should be easier to get street legal with self made battery. EDIT: 20.8.2002 or older doesn't have to fulfill ECE R100 at all.

I called today one test lab which makes some tests also to EVs and they gave a tip that individual Tesla cells (Panasonic etc.) are separately approved and therefore self made battery made from those cells could be accepted aswell. Well I got a name of some expert also which I'm trying to contact next to get more info.

[evMacGyver]

During sleepless night I've come to these conclusions:

ECE R100 (Addendum 99: Regulation No. 100) is test basically for battery(box) electrical safety and when this battery is installed to vehicle it also isolation resistance need to be measured and after some version also on-board isolation resistance monitoring system is needed. There are few functional rules for EV like indication of drive direction and notify if drivers door is opened while vehicle is still in active drive state.

There seems to bee three revisions, some dates are bit unclear:
- Revision 1 from 21 of August 2002
- Revision 2 published 12 August 2013, some harder tests are required from July 2016?
- Revision 3 published 23 March 2022 is very hard, it basically includes also vibration, thermal shock, mechanical shock, fire resistance and so on tests.
I think proofing harder battery tests without using proper testlab is basically impossible, so use of original battery box without modifications should comply this requirement.

Finnish national rule is says vehicle need to fulfill this E-100 rule version that was valid on vehicles first registration date.
Also this 21 of August is written in the same rule and before this date MOT inspector can verify few simply compliance. It seems I would not have to measure insulation resistance for my previous conversion which first registration was on 2001.

In my case for vehicle from 2008 is that I should show Rev1 compliance is fulfilled. It does not say that I need to use any testlab/authority.

[arber333]

....
In my case for vehicle from 2008 is that I should show Rev1 compliance is fulfilled. It does not say that I need to use any testlab/authority.

I asked the TUV guy last time how it is for different vehicle ages. They said before year 2002 everything could be converted to EV, but if motor - inverter combo is assured they do not requrie EMC and EMI tests. My PUG was 2000 so i flew away .
Batery box requirements are written in Merkblatt rev2. But if you use OEM battery they dont require any certificates, only mechanical properties of the box and fastening of individual cell module are inspected. I think they also tested the charging process when they drove away for test run.

Next cars up to 2012 have some additional requirements such as regen inhibition on ABS and ESR system activation and more stringent EMC and EMI tests. And they require aural warning for pedestrians and such . They didnt say nothing about any more battery requirements...

They said thew do not certify conversions for cars newer than 2012!!!! Because of complex safety systems installed.

[evMacGyver]

WTF meaning Welcome To Finland

Our national rule 16.10.2023 requires using test center, this rule cancels previous rules. If I would MOT this conversion before 1st of Jan 2024 this would have been just fine even using my custom battery box. And to be clear; this ECE R100/E100 rule is not only about battery box.

So it seems from now on every vehicle from 21 of August 2002 needs certification from test center.
Certificate from another EU country test center would work, but sadly does not help.

I have now contacted one test center which is able to do this kind of certifications and will ask if I move batteries to original box, use original OEM drive train components, therefore there are no component to be certified (which would cost a lot), only verify things; measure leakages etc. Lets see what happens or how pricey it would be

[evMacGyver]

I just talked with test lab person and my interpretation was pretty much correct. We will do R100 tests which are not that bad after all. For vehicle from 2007 required would be original version, but I have made things to satisfy R100 from 2010 - also they have ready test template for this version.
Its they first R100 for private person and I will be participate during tests and do paperwork as much as I can to help. Testing and paperwork will be hour based rate, this will cost but I'm optimistic after this call

He also verified that battery box can be self made up to 2016 vehicle. After that using original OEM box would do. This should apply within EU.

After few days of headache its getting better, wohoo!

[Cruiser]

That's great information! I sent pm to you McGyver. Would you mind to share the test lab name?

EDIT: One thing come in to my mind. Did you ask the MOT guy do the really accept the test lab which you found if it's not in the list of accepted test organizations of Traficom? There is only one organization who does R100, namely Testmill, but for example SGS is not in the list despite they do those battery tests. I've been said by experienced MOT guy that the test lab has to be in the list....

[evMacGyver]

It is Testmill. Most likely we do this early July.

[Cruiser]

Thanks for sharing! I think I'm slowly understanding the confusion of revisions of R100. The Revision 2 published 12 August 2013 doesn't mean that I have to follow the complete Rev 2 despite my car is 2014, because the RESS/REESS tests became mandatory in July of 2016. For some reason that date is not written in R100 document, but can be found for example here https://www.tuvsud.com/en/e-ssentials-n ... ufacturers

So I believe I can do the same test as you are doing with Testmill. I called them time ago and asked whether they can help with REESS tests, but I asked something what they are not doing and what is not needed at all.

[evMacGyver]

I think R100 is kept pretty much the same over the years, I did not see major differences, only RESS added later but mandatory somewhere 2016. So you can build your battery box how you like, just few quite obvious things. I would say nothing to worry

You could even build your own inverter or use differend motor/inverter setup. I did not think this earlier, Finnish rule says no EMC tests are required. For R100 its basically safety.