Subpart B—Motor Carrier Vehicle Safety Standards
§571.305 Standard No. 305; Electric-powered vehicles:
electrolyte spillage and electrical shock protection.
S1. Scope. This standard specifies requirements for
limitation of electrolyte spillage, retention of propulsion
batteries during a crash, and electrical isolation of the chassis
from the high-voltage system, to be met by vehicles that use
electricity as propulsion power .
S2. Purpose. The purpose of this standard is to reduce
deaths and injuries during a crash which occur because of
electrolyte spillage from propulsion batteries, intrusion of
propulsion battery system components into the occupant compartment,
and electrical shock.
S3. Application. This standard applies to passenger cars,
and to multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks and buses with a
GVWR of 4536 kg or less, that use more than 48 nominal volts of
electricity as propulsion power and whose speed attainable in 1.6
km on a paved level surface is more than 40 km/h.
S4. Definition.
Battery system component means any part of a
battery module, interconnect, venting system, battery restraint
device, and battery box or container which holds the individual
battery modules.
Dummy means a 50th percentile male test dummy as
specified in subpart F of part 572 of this chapter.
S5. General requirements. Each vehicle to which this
standard applies, when tested according to S6 under the conditions
of S7, must meet the requirements of S5.1, S5.2, and S5.3.
S5.1 Electrolyte spillage from propulsion batteries. Not
more than 5.0 liters of from propulsion batteries shall spill
outside the passenger compartment, and no visible trace of
electrolyte shall spill into the passenger compartment. Spillage is
measured from the time the vehicle ceases motion after a barrier
impact test until 30 minutes thereafter, and throughout any static
rollover after a barrier impact test.
S5.2 Battery Retention. Battery modules located
inside the passenger compartment must remain in the location in
which they are installed. No part of any battery system component
that is located outside the passenger compartment shall enter the
passenger compartment during the test procedures of S6 of this
standard, as determined by visual inspection.
S5.3 Electrical isolation. Electrical isolation between
the battery system and the vehicle electricity-conducting structure
after each test must be not less than 500 ohms/volt.
S6. Test requirements. Each vehicle to which this
standard applies, under the conditions of S7, must be capable of
meeting the requirements of any applicable single barrier
crash/static rollover test sequence, without alteration of the
vehicle during the test sequence. A particular vehicle need not
meet further test requirements after having been subjected to a
single barrier crash/static rollover test sequence.
S6.1 Frontal barrier crash. The vehicle must meet the
requirements of S5.1, S5.2 and S5.3 when it is traveling
longitudinally forward at any speed, up to and including 48 km/h,
and impacts a fixed collision barrier that is perpendicular to the
line of travel of the vehicle, or at any angle up to 30 degrees in
either direction from the perpendicular to the line of travel of
the vehicle.
S6.2 Rear moving barrier impact. The vehicle must meet
the requirements of S5.1, S5.2, and S5.3, when:
(S6.2)(a) it is impacted from the rear by a barrier moving at any
speed up to and including 48 km/h, with a dummy at each front
outboard designated seating position, or
(S6.2)(b) at the manufacturer’s option (with said option irrevocably
selected prior to, or at the time of, certification of the
vehicle), it is impacted at 80 ±1.0 km/h with 50th percentile test
dummies as specified in part 572 of this chapter at each front
outboard designated seating position under the conditions specified
in S7.3(b) of FMVSS No. 301 and S7 of this section as
applicable.
S6.3 Side moving deformable barrier impact. The vehicle
must meet the requirements of S5.1, S5.2, and S5.3 when it is
impacted from the side by a barrier that conforms to part 587 of
this chapter that is moving at any speed up to and including 54
km/h, with 49 CFR part 572, subpart F test dummies positioned in
accordance with S7 of Sec. 571.214 of this chapter.
S6.4 Post-impact test static rollover. The vehicle must
meet the requirements of S5.1, S5.2, and S5.3, after being rotated
on its longitudinal axis to each successive increment of 90 degrees
after each impact test specified in S6.1, S6.2, and S6.3.
S7. Test conditions. When the vehicle is tested according
to S6, the requirements of S5 must be met under the conditions in
S7.1 through S7.6.7. Where a range is specified, the vehicle must
be capable of meeting the requirements at all points within the
range.
S7.1 Battery state of charge. The battery system
is at the level specified in the following paragraph (a), (b), or
(c), as appropriate:
(S7.1)(a) At the maximum state of charge recommended by the
manufacturer, as stated in the vehicle operator’s manual or on a
label that is permanently affixed to the vehicle;
(S7.1)(b) If the manufacturer has made no recommendation, at a state
of charge of not less than 95 percent of the maximum capacity of
the battery system; or
(S7.1)(c) If the batteries are rechargeable only by an energy source
on the vehicle, at any state of charge within the normal operating
voltage, as defined by the vehicle manufacturer.
S7.2 Vehicle conditions. The switch or device that
provides power from the propulsion batteries to the propulsion
motor(s) is in the activated position or the ready-to-drive
position.
S7.2.1 The parking brake is disengaged and the transmission, if
any, is in the neutral position. In a test conducted under S6.3,
the parking brake is set.
S7.2.2 Tires are inflated to the manufacturer’s
specifications.
S7.2.3 The vehicle, including test devices and instrumentation,
is loaded as follows:
(S7.2.3)(a) A passenger car is loaded to its unloaded vehicle weight
plus its rated cargo and luggage capacity weight, secured in the
luggage area, plus the necessary test dummies as specified in S6,
restrained only by means that are installed in the vehicle for
protection at its seating position.
(S7.2.3)(b) A multipurpose passenger vehicle, truck, or bus with a GVWR
of 4536 kg or less is loaded to its unloaded vehicle weight plus
the necessary dummies, as specified in S6, plus 136 kg or its rated
cargo and luggage capacity weight, whichever is less. Each dummy is
restrained only by means that are installed in the vehicle for
protection at its seating position.
S7.3 Static rollover test conditions. In addition to the
conditions of S7.1 and S7.2, the conditions of S7.4 of Sec.301 of this chapter apply to the conduct of static rollover
tests specified in S6.4.
S7.4 Rear moving barrier impact test conditions. In
addition to the conditions of S7.1 and S7.2, the rear moving
barrier test conditions for S6.2(a) are those specified in S8.2 of
Standard No. 208 (49 CFR 571.208), except for the positioning of
the barrier and the vehicle. The rear moving barrier is described
in S8.2 of Standard No. 208 of this chapter. The barrier and test
vehicle are positioned so that at impact-
(S7.4)(a) The vehicle is at rest in its normal attitude;
(S7.4)(b) The barrier is traveling at 48 km/ h with its face
perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle;
and
(S7.4)(c) A vertical plane through the geometric center of the barrier
impact surface and perpendicular to that surface coincides with the
longitudinal centerline of the vehicle.
S7.5 Side moving deformable barrier impact test conditions. In addition to the conditions of S7.1 and S7.2, the
conditions of S8 of Sec. 571.214 of this chapter apply to the conduct of the side moving
deformable barrier impact test specified in S6.3
S7.6 Electrical isolation test procedure. In addition to
the conditions of S7.1 and S7.2, the conditions in S7.6.1 through
S7.6.7 apply to the measurement of electrical isolation specified
in S5.3.
S7.6.1 Prior to any barrier impact test, the propulsion battery
system is connected to the vehicle’s propulsion system, and the
vehicle ignition is in the “on” (traction (propulsion) system
energized) position. If the vehicle utilizes an automatic
disconnect between the propulsion battery system and the traction
system that is physically contained within the battery pack system,
the electrical isolation measurement after the impact is made from
the traction side of the automatic disconnect to the vehicle
chassis. If the vehicle utilizes an automatic disconnect that is
not physically contained within the battery pack system, the
electrical isolation measurement after the impact is made from the
battery side of the automatic disconnect to the vehicle
chassis.
S7.6.2 The voltmeter used in this test measures direct current
values and has an internal resistance of at least 10 MΩ
S7.6.3 The voltage is measured as shown in Figure 1 and the
propulsion battery voltage (Vb) is recorded. Before any vehicle
impact test, Vb is equal to or greater than the nominal operating
voltage as specified by the vehicle manufacturer.
49 CFR Ch. V (10-1-06 Edition) S7.6.4 The voltage is measured as
shown in Figure 2, and the voltage (V1) between the negative side
of the propulsion battery and the vehicle chassis is recorded.
S7.6.5 The voltage is measured as shown in Figure 3, and the
voltage (V2) between the positive side of the propulsion battery
and the vehicle chassis is recorded.
S7.6.6 If V1 is greater than or equal to V2, insert a known
resistance (Ro) between the negative side of the propulsion battery
and the vehicle chassis. With the Ro installed, measure the voltage
(V1’) as shown in Figure 4 between the negative side of the
propulsion battery and the vehicle chassis. Calculate the
electrical isolation (Ri) according to the formula shown. This
electrical isolation value (in ohms) divided by the nominal
operating voltage of the propulsion battery (in volts) must be
equal to or greater than 500.
S7.6.7 If V2 is greater than V1, insert a known resistance (Ro)
between the positive side of the propulsion battery and the vehicle
chassis. With the Ro installed, measure the voltage and record the
voltage (V2′) between the positive side of the propulsion battery
and the vehicle chassis as shown in Figure 5. Calculate the
electrical isolation (Ri) according to the formula shown. This
electrical isolation value (in ohms) divided by the nominal
operating voltage of the propulsion battery (in volts) must be
equal to or greater than 500.
[65 FR 57988, Sept. 27, 2000, as amended at 66 FR 60160, Dec. 3,
2001; 69 FR 51399, Aug. 19, 2004]