SAE J1797 - Battery Design

Recommended Practice for Packaging of Electric Vehicle Battery Modules

SAE J1797 provides recommended practices for the mechanical packaging of battery modules in electric vehicle applications. It addresses the physical design, mounting, handling, and installation of battery modules to facilitate standardisation of module interfaces and support interchangeable pack design across vehicle platforms.

Published by: SAE International
Current edition: SAE J1797:1997 (reaffirmed)
Related standard: SAE J1798 (performance rating of EV battery modules)

Scope

SAE J1797 applies to battery modules used in electric and hybrid electric road vehicles. It provides guidance on module dimensions, terminal locations, mounting provisions, labelling, and handling features. The document supports interoperability between battery modules from different manufacturers and defines preferred dimensional envelopes to aid pack-level design standardisation.

Key Recommendations

Module Dimensional Families

J1797 defines preferred module form factor families with standardised width, length, and height envelopes. Standardised terminal positions and polarities are specified to enable safe handling and module-level interchangeability. Mounting provisions use common bolt patterns and thread specifications.

Labelling and Safety Markings

Modules must carry labels identifying voltage, capacity, chemistry, polarity, and handling warnings. High-voltage warning symbols, lifting/handling instructions, and maximum tilt angle restrictions must be marked to ensure safe installation and service operations.

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