IEC 62840-2 - Battery Design

Electric Vehicle Battery Swap System — Safety Requirements

IEC 62840-2 establishes the safety requirements for battery swap systems that enable rapid replacement of the traction battery pack in electric vehicles. Rather than waiting for a charge cycle, swap systems exchange a depleted battery for a fully charged one in minutes. The standard covers the safety of the swapping infrastructure, the electrical interfaces between the vehicle and the swap station, and the handling of the swappable battery system (SBS). Supply is up to 1,000 V AC or 1,500 V DC; the standard also covers systems supplied from on-site buffer batteries. The original 2016 first edition was superseded by IEC 62840-2:2025. This standard is to be read in conjunction with IEC 62840-1 which provides the system architecture, definitions, and general guidance.

Published by: International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

Current edition: IEC 62840-2:2025 (2nd edition)

Replaces: IEC 62840-2:2016 (withdrawn July 2025)

Scope

Safety requirements for battery swap stations and swappable battery systems (SBS)
Supply voltages up to 1,000 V AC or 1,500 V DC including on-site buffer battery supplies
Electrical, mechanical, and communication interfaces between vehicle and swap station
Insulation resistance, earth continuity, dielectric strength, and protective device requirements
Covers swap systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and two-wheelers

Relationship to other standards

IEC 62840-2 is Part 2 of the IEC 62840 series. IEC 62840-1 provides the system architecture, definitions, and general guidance and must be read alongside this standard. IEC 62840-2 complements IEC 61851-1 (conductive charging) and IEC 62196 (connectors) by addressing the battery-swap energy replenishment pathway. Commercial battery swap networks — primarily deployed in China and by operators such as NIO — reference the IEC 62840 framework. In China, GB/T standards provide the domestic equivalent framework for swap systems.

Disclaimer: This is not a definitive guide, just an indication and it is important that you always go back to the source for legislation.