IEC 61851

IEC 61851

IEC 61851 is an international technical standard that specifies requirements for conductive charging systems for electric vehicles. It addresses operational modes, safety measures, installation practices, test procedures, and interoperability for charging infrastructures used by manufacturers, utilities, transport authorities, and standards bodies. The standard interfaces with automotive manufacturers, energy suppliers, and regulatory agencies to harmonize equipment and procedures across national and regional frameworks.

Overview and Scope

IEC 61851 defines system-level requirements for conductive charging of Tesla, Inc.-compatible units, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.-related implementations, and equipment deployed by entities such as Volkswagen Group, General Motors, Ford Motor Company, BMW AG, Daimler AG, Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation, Renault, Stellantis, Toyota Motor Corporation, Honda Motor Company, BYD Company Limited, SAIC Motor Corporation Limited, Volvo Cars, Geely Holding Group, Lucid Motors, Rivian Automotive, Inc., Nikola Corporation, Proterra Inc., Toyota Racing Development, ABB Group, Siemens AG, Schneider Electric SE, Hitachi, Ltd., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Panasonic Corporation, LG Chem, Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Enel, E.ON SE, Iberdrola, EDF (Électricité de France), National Grid plc, RWE AG, Energinet, U.S. Department of Energy, European Commission, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, International Organization for Standardization, International Electrotechnical Commission, Transport for London, California Air Resources Board, China EV100, Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry applications. It covers both AC and DC conductive charging interfaces used in passenger cars, commercial vehicles, buses, and light trucks within standards and regulatory frameworks set by authorities including European Union, United States, China, Japan, India, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Poland, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Israel, Turkey, Russia.

Parts and Structure of the Standard

The standard is organized into multiple parts that delineate system requirements, vehicle connectors, on-board charging, DC fast-charging interfaces, and communication protocols adopted by stakeholders like CharIN e.V., Open Charge Alliance, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Continental AG, Valeo SA, Denso Corporation, BorgWarner Inc., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Renesas Electronics Corporation, Infineon Technologies AG, NXP Semiconductors, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Analog Devices, Inc., Intel Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc., Ericsson, Nokia Corporation, Qualcomm Incorporated, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Hewlett Packard Enterprise. It identifies technical interfaces used in projects such as IONITY, Electrify America, ChargePoint, Inc., Blink Charging Co., EVgo Services LLC, Greenlots, NewMotion, Shell Recharge Solutions and coordinates with vehicle manufacturers and infrastructure providers in metropolitan deployments like Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Rome, Madrid, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Vancouver, Toronto, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Johannesburg.

Charging Modes and Communication Protocols

IEC 61851 defines charging modes ranging from basic AC charging to advanced DC fast charging and prescribes signaling using control pilot circuits, proximity detection, and powerline or CAN-based messaging. It interoperates with communication frameworks and projects like ISO 15118, OCPI, OCPP, Modbus, CAN bus, LIN (Local Interconnect Network), IEC 62351, IEC 60870, IEC 61850, SAE J1772, CHAdeMO, Combined Charging System (CCS), GBT (China) and supports smart charging and vehicle-to-grid concepts promoted by National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Electric Power Research Institute, Fraunhofer Society, TÜV SÜD, CECED stakeholders. Implementations leverage telematics and fleet management platforms from Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Siemens Mobility and coordinate with mobility programs like Mobility as a Service pilots, municipal transit agencies, and utilities.

Safety, Protection and Installation Requirements

Safety provisions within the standard cover protection against electric shock, isolation, leakage current, cable handling, thermal management, and emergency disconnects used by manufacturers and installers including Schneider Electric SE, Eaton Corporation, Legrand SA, Hager Group, Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG, WAGO Kontakttechnik GmbH, Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. KG. Installation guidance aligns with national wiring regulations such as BS 7671, NF C 15-100, NEC (National Electrical Code), IEC 60364 series and interfaces with grid codes and system operators like Energinet, Elia (TSO), TenneT, Terna (company), Red Eléctrica de España to ensure safe integration into distribution networks and microgrid projects involving Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Ørsted A/S, Envision Energy.

Compliance, Testing and Certification

Conformance testing and certification programs for IEC 61851 are administered by organizations such as Underwriters Laboratories, TÜV Rheinland, TÜV SÜD, SGS S.A., Intertek Group plc, CSA Group, Bureau Veritas, DEKRA SE, Kiwa N.V., UL Solutions and national accreditation bodies like UK Accreditation Service, Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle, National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (INMETRO), China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment. Type approval, interoperability testing, EMC assessment, environmental testing and electromagnetic compatibility procedures are used by OEMs, suppliers, test labs and certification authorities in vehicle homologation and infrastructure procurement for fleets and public networks.

Global Adoption and Regulatory Integration

Adoption of the standard is coordinated through policy instruments and industry consortia including European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization, CENELEC, IEC National Committees, CharIN e.V., Open Charge Alliance, World Economic Forum initiatives, International Energy Agency roadmaps, and national programs like California Zero-Emission Vehicle Program, China New Energy Vehicle Policy, Japan’s Next-Generation Vehicle Strategy 2010, India Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Program. Integration into urban planning and transport policy involves authorities such as United Nations Environment Programme, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, European Investment Bank, and municipal agencies overseeing deployments, fleet electrification, and climate commitments linked to agreements including Paris Agreement and national decarbonization strategies.

Category:International Electrotechnical Commission standards