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VDE Testlab Offenbach
VDE
2025-05-13 TOP

Battery Testing & Certification

VDE operates multiple battery testing labs world-wide, providing unique battery testing capabilities. With many years experience, our engineers have a deep understanding of battery testing and technology. 

We support you over the entire battery development process until certification of your product. Our services are tailored to your unique needs to support you with your battery testing and battery certification. 

Our ISO/IEC 17025 accredited test laboratories use modern testing equipment to guarantee precise and reliable measurement data. Our unique selling points include more than 400 test channels handling voltages of up to 1,000 V and currents up to  2,000 A, vibration and shock test systems with maximum loads of up to 1,000kg, and superimposed climatic chambers, as well as walk-in climatic chambers with a volume of 45 m³.

Our experts offer comprehensive guidance on the development of test specifications and we can also test to your individual requirements and set a special focus on performance and abuse tests. 

We test to national and international regulations and standards, and guide in the assignment of applicable standards for market access world-wide. 

VDE Battery Labs - Battery Test Centers

One of the main focuses of our electrical testing is on the performance and abuse testing of consumer and automotive cells. We have more than 400 test channels in our VDE Laboratories, including more than 140 cell test channels with a maximum current of at least 300 A, which can be parallelized to currents up to 2,000 A. Our large battery test channels provide voltages up to 1,000 V at maximum powers of 540 kW.

Climate Chambers for Battery Testing
VDE Renewables

Our Battery Labs have shock and vibration testing systems with a maximum force vector of 120 kN, mounting surfaces of 1.20 x 1.20 m and a maximum load of up to 1,000 kg. Shaker tests are also possible under thermal and climatic superposition with simultaneous loading/unloading.

Our environmental simulation includes over 50 temperature and climate chambers, with temperature change rates of up to 18 K/min and a maximum size of over 45 m3. Temperature shocks and cycles are as much a part of our service spectrum as IP, corrosion and EMC tests.

In our battery abuse testing, we simulate foreseeable misuse and abuse such as nail penetration, crush simulation, and thermal runaway propagation. For this purpose, we have twelve abuse chambers connected to a flue gas scrubber and equipped with manually controllable and automated extinguishing devices.

We test and certify batteries for a wide range of applications, from garden tools, power tools, medical equipment, household equipment, electric vehicles, through to commercial and industrial energy storage systems.

Our certifications according to the CB scheme are recognized worldwide and our VDE mark of approval is very well known.

Tour of VDE battery laboratory

Our laboratory tests and certifications

Battery Testing & Certification: UN 38.3, IEC 62133, and IEC 62619

Our state-of-the-art battery testing laboratories and certification centers provide a comprehensive range of battery safety tests at both national and international levels. Below are some of the most sought-after tests conducted at our Offenbach battery test facility.

UN 38.3 Transport Test

The UN 38.3 transport test is a globally mandated safety standard for the transport of lithium batteries and lithium cells. This certification ensures that lithium batteries can be safely transported via air, sea, or land, preventing risks such as fire, explosion, or hazardous leakage.

UN 38.3 Test Criteria:

The UN 38.3 certification consists of sequentially running tests and criteria that simulate real-world transportation conditions: 

  1. Altitude simulation test – Simulates low-pressure conditions during air transport.
  2. Thermal test – Tests resistance to extreme temperature variations.
  3. Vibration test – Assesses mechanical durability against transport vibrations.
  4. Shock test – Simulates strong impacts and shocks.
  5. External short circuit test – Ensures battery safety in case of short circuits.
  6. Overcharging test – Tests the battery’s response to overcharging scenarios.
  7. Forced discharge test – Evaluates the risk of uncontrolled energy release.
  8. Impact test – Detects internal damage due to mechanical loads.

Why is the UN 38.3 test important? 

  • Mandatory for international lithium battery transport (compliant with ADR, ICAO, IMDG, and DOT regulations).
  • Prevents safety hazards such as battery fires or explosions.
  • Ensures seamless global shipping of certified lithium batteries.

IEC 62133 Test (IEC 62133-2:2017)

The IEC 62133 certification test is one of the most widely recognized standards for the safety of portable, secondary lithium batteries. This test evaluates the electrical, mechanical, and environmental safety of batteries used in consumer electronics.

IEC 62133 Test Procedures:

  • Forced internal short-circuit test – Simulates internal battery faults.
  • Overcharging protection test – Prevents excessive voltage accumulation.
  • Short-circuit test – Ensures no thermal runaway occurs.
  • Temperature cycling test – Assesses battery performance under extreme temperatures.
  • Drop and impact tests – Evaluates mechanical robustness.

Why is IEC 62133 important?

1. Global Battery Compliance

  • Required for battery certification in Europe, North America, and Asia.
  • Mandatory for CE marking in the EU and recognized in UN 38.3 and CB scheme.

2. Safety Assurance

  • Reduces risks of battery fires, explosions, and electric shock.
  • Covers critical factors like thermal runaway prevention and short-circuit protection.

3. Consumer Electronics Compatibility

  • Essential for batteries in smartphones, laptops, medical devices, power tools, and e-bikes.
  • Ensures compliance with strict battery safety standards for high-demand applications.

IEC 62619 Test (IEC 62619:2022)

The IEC 62619 battery test sets safety benchmarks for industrial lithium battery applications, including safety requirements and testing procedures for secondary lithium cells and batteries used in industrial applications, including stationary systems.

Examples of applications covered by this standard include:

  • Stationary applications: Telecommunications, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), electrical energy storage systems, utility switching, emergency power, and similar uses.
  • Motive applications: Forklift trucks, golf carts, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), railway vehicles, and marine vehicles—excluding road vehicles.

IEC 62619 Test Procedures:

The test evaluates electrical, mechanical, and environmental safety aspects, including:

  • Overcharge and over-discharge protection
  • Thermal abuse resistance – Tests battery performance under high temperatures.
  • External and internal short-circuit tests
  • Drop and impact tests – Ensures mechanical durability.
  • Fire propagation prevention – Prevents fire spread within battery packs.
  • Cell balancing and battery management system (BMS) reliability

Why is IEC 62619 Certification Important?

1. Industrial Battery Compliance

  • Essential for renewable energy storage (solar, wind), UPS systems, forklifts, and grid storage.
  • Designed specifically for large-scale lithium battery systems.

2. Enhanced Battery Safety

  • Mitigates risks of thermal runaway, fire, and explosion.
  • Ensures battery pack robustness for industrial and commercial use.

3. Global Market Access

  • Required for battery integration in Europe, North America, and Asia.
  • Helps manufacturers comply with national grid regulations and industrial battery safety standards.

Overview of our Tests and Certifications

BESS Services Grafik
VDE Renewables

Battery Forensics

VDE Renewables takes advantage of its extensive testing capabilities as well as the knowledge of its experienced battery experts to conduct independent forensic- or accident investigations of cells and battery energy storage systems (BESS), either standalone or in collaboration with established surveyors (e.g. in the marine business), relevant authorities or other stakeholders.

Our services in that field include, among others:

  • Document reviews: QA procedures and logs, shipping documentation, incident reports
  • Inspections and evidence collection: Accident sites, production facilities
  • Testing and analysis: Re-testing of samples to confirm claims, electrochemical analyses, inspection and testing of product packaging

Some examples from past projects:

  • Reconstructing of an incident device after a battery explosion and  deter-mining the cause of the incident
  • (Re-)Tests and measurements on batteries and cells from a battery fire during transportation
  • Provided expert opinions on possible causes of incidents and review of the battery Dangerous Goods shipping documentation
  • Assisting stakeholders and authorities with evidence collection at the harbor and assessment of cells from the same shipments that survived the fires
  • On-site inspection of containerized energy storage after battery container fire

Use the knowledge of VDE Renewables to quickly resolve incidents and improve your products and processes.

How we can support you

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