Underwriters Laboratories (UL) released UL 2849, a new standard for the certification of electric bicycle systems and bicycle electronic components, on January 2, 2020. It focuses on the electrical systems and battery chargers of pedal-assisted and non-pedal-assisted electric bicycles to address specific issues related to such products, including mechanical, electrical, and functional safety.

• The first edition of the UL 2849 standard was released on January 2, 2020.
• The standard covers electric bicycles powered by rechargeable lithium batteries.
• Electric bicycles include electric power-assisted bicycles (Electrically Power Assisted Cycles, EPAC, with both pedaling and electric assistance) and non-pedal-assisted bicycles (throttle-controlled assistance, non-EPAC).
• The standard does not include the evaluation of mechanical structures unless specifically stated.
• Immediately after its official release, UL 2849 was adopted by ANSI (USA) and SCC (Canada) as their national standards.

Products Covered by UL 2849 Standard

In daily life, which products are covered by the UL 2849 standard? The following are examples of products under the UL 2849 standard:

Evaluation Requirements for UL 2849 Standard Products

The structural requirements for electric vehicles under UL 2849 are as follows:

• Charger
  Chargers shall comply with: UL 1310, UL 1012, UL 62368-1.
  Charging cables connected to electric bicycles shall comply with: UL 62.
  Connectors connected to electric bicycles shall comply with: UL 2251 or UL 1977.

  Chargers that do not meet the requirements are:

  • One of the main causes of fire and electric shock hazards.
  • Destructive to batteries.

• Enclosure
  Non-metallic enclosure materials shall comply with:
  ❑ Minimum flame resistance rating of V-1.
  ❑ Minimum temperature resistance rating of 80°C.
  ❑ If they are plastic materials directly exposed to sunlight, they shall comply with the ultraviolet resistance, water exposure, and immersion tests specified in UL 746C.

  Metallic enclosure materials shall:
  ❑ Be corrosion-resistant.

  • The product enclosure must be designed to be opened only with tools such as pliers, screwdrivers, hacksaws, or similar.
  • The openings in the enclosure shall meet the requirements of IEC 60529 IP 3X.

• Battery Pack
  Drive battery pack

  • A proper Battery Management System (BMS) shall be provided.
  • The design shall safely withstand the harsh environments expected during the vehicle's use.
  • It shall comply with the following safety standards:
    ❑ UL 2271 Standard for Lithium-Ion Batteries for Light Electric Vehicles; or
    ❑ UL 2580 Standard for Lithium-Ion Batteries for Electric Vehicles.

  Non-drive battery pack
  ❑ UL 62133
  ❑ UL 2054

• Motor
  • Motors with hazardous voltages shall comply with UL 1004-1.
  • Motor locked rotor and overload tests shall be conducted.

• Controller
  • The functional safety and related functions of the controller shall be evaluated along with the entire vehicle.

Documents Required for UL 2849 Certification

1. Overall dimension drawing of the complete machine
2. Dimension drawings of upper and lower shells
3. Dimension drawing of aluminum plate parts
4. Dimension drawing of the shaft connecting the aluminum plate
5. Dimension drawing of the metal pressing block for fixing the motor shaft
6. UL certification number and model of the plastic material used for the enclosure
7. Dimension drawing of the LED lampshade
8. Electronic label of the product
9. English instruction manual of the product
10. UL certification number and model of the plastic enclosure material, along with the product instruction manual

Testing Items for UL 2849 Certification

Electrical Tests:

• Input Test
• Isolation Resistance Test
• Dielectric Strength Test
• Overcharging Test
• Component Fault Test
• Short Test
• Imbalanced Charging Test

Environmental Tests:

• Temperature Rise Test
• Humidity Conditioning Test
• Forced Ventilation/Blocked Ventilation Test
• Thermal Cycling Test
• Mold Stress Relief Test
• Ingress Protection Tests
• Label Permanence Test

Mechanical Tests:

• Motor Locked Rotor and Overload Test
• Shock Test
• Impact Test
• Flexing Test
• Vibration Test
• Strain Relief Test

Motor Assistance-Related Tests:

• Startup Assistance Mode Test
• Reverse Pedaling Test
• Pedal Cessation Test for EPACs
• Cutoff When Braking Test
• Cutoff at Maximum Speed Test

Guangdong ESTL Technology Co., Ltd. is a professional third-party company engaged in certification and testing services for battery products and electric vehicles. It has obtained the TPTDP laboratory accreditation qualification awarded by UL (USA). The covered standards include UL1642, UL2054, UL2056, UL/ULC 62368-1, UL/ULC 2271, UL/ULC 2272, UL/ULC 2849, UL/ULC 2580, and UL/ULC 1973.

ESTL is well-equipped in battery testing and certification, with large vibration tables, large impact tables, power battery charge-discharge cabinets, needle puncture and extrusion testing machines, walk-in high and low-temperature chambers, large altitude simulation testing machines, short-circuit testing machines, and a full set of equipment for software and hardware functional safety evaluation. It can provide customers with comprehensive UL testing and certification services, helping your products quickly obtain UL certificates to enter the market.