IEC TS 62840-1:2016
(Main)Electric vehicle battery swap system - Part 1: General and guidance
Electric vehicle battery swap system - Part 1: General and guidance
IEC TS 62840-1:2016(E) gives the general overview for battery swap systems, for the purposes of swapping batteries of electric road vehicles (EVs) when the vehicle powertrain is turned off and when the battery swap system is connected to the supply network at standard supply voltages according to IEC 60038 with a rated voltage up to 1 000 V AC and up to 1 500 V DC. It is applicable for battery swap systems for EV equipped with one or more swappable battery system (SBS).
General Information
- Status
- Published
- Publication Date
- 11-Jul-2016
- Technical Committee
- TC 69 - Electrical power/energy transfer systems for electrically propelled road vehicles and industrial trucks
- Drafting Committee
- PT 62840-1 - TC 69/PT 62840-1
- Current Stage
- PPUB - Publication issued
- Start Date
- 12-Jul-2016
- Completion Date
- 31-Aug-2016
Relations
- Effective Date
- 05-Sep-2023
Overview
IEC TS 62840-1:2016 - Electric vehicle battery swap system - Part 1: General and guidance - provides a high-level, practical framework for battery swap systems used to replace swappable batteries of electric road vehicles (EVs). It applies when the vehicle powertrain is turned off and the swap system is connected to supply voltages per IEC 60038 (rated up to 1 000 V AC and 1 500 V DC). The Technical Specification covers systems that handle one or more swappable battery systems (SBS) and serves as generic guidance; detailed safety requirements are addressed in IEC 62840-2.
Key topics
- System overview and architecture
- Definitions and functional breakdown of a battery swap system and a battery swap station (BSS).
- Battery swap station components
- Lane system, battery handling system, storage system, charging system, and supervisory & control system.
- Zones and interfaces
- Guidance on vehicle lane zone, battery swap zone, battery storage zone and battery charging zone, and their accessibilities.
- Classification
- Automation levels (full automatic, semi-automatic, manual), SBS swapping direction, EV categories, and environmental conditions.
- Use cases and solutions
- Informative annexes include use cases (positioning, swapping, charging, maintenance, emergency charging) and example station layouts (side-swapping, top-swapping, bottom-swapping, rear-swapping).
- Scope and exclusions
- Applies to electric road vehicles with swappable batteries; excludes trolley buses, rail vehicles, off‑road‑designed vehicles, and detailed station/vehicle maintenance processes.
Practical applications
Who uses IEC TS 62840-1:2016:
- EV OEMs and battery manufacturers designing swappable battery systems (SBS) and vehicle interfaces.
- BSS designers, system integrators and charging network operators planning battery swap stations and layouts.
- Urban planners and fleet operators (taxis, buses, delivery fleets) evaluating fast energy replenishment strategies to reduce range anxiety.
- Test laboratories and conformity assessment bodies referencing architecture and use case guidance.
- Policymakers and industry stakeholders developing interoperability and grid-connection strategies.
Practical benefits:
- Speeds design of interoperable battery swap solutions.
- Helps reduce vehicle downtime by defining swap processes and automation levels.
- Minimizes grid impact by enabling off‑vehicle charging and centralized SBS management.
Related standards
- IEC 60038 (standard supply voltages) - referenced for supply voltage limits.
- IEC 62840-2 - complements this document by covering safety requirements for battery swap systems.
- IEC 61851 series - relevant for light electric vehicle charging (not directly covered here).
Keywords: IEC TS 62840-1:2016, battery swap system, electric vehicle battery swap, swappable battery system, battery swap station, EV swap guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
IEC TS 62840-1:2016 is a technical specification published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Its full title is "Electric vehicle battery swap system - Part 1: General and guidance". This standard covers: IEC TS 62840-1:2016(E) gives the general overview for battery swap systems, for the purposes of swapping batteries of electric road vehicles (EVs) when the vehicle powertrain is turned off and when the battery swap system is connected to the supply network at standard supply voltages according to IEC 60038 with a rated voltage up to 1 000 V AC and up to 1 500 V DC. It is applicable for battery swap systems for EV equipped with one or more swappable battery system (SBS).
IEC TS 62840-1:2016(E) gives the general overview for battery swap systems, for the purposes of swapping batteries of electric road vehicles (EVs) when the vehicle powertrain is turned off and when the battery swap system is connected to the supply network at standard supply voltages according to IEC 60038 with a rated voltage up to 1 000 V AC and up to 1 500 V DC. It is applicable for battery swap systems for EV equipped with one or more swappable battery system (SBS).
IEC TS 62840-1:2016 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 11.140 - Hospital equipment; 43.120 - Electric road vehicles. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
IEC TS 62840-1:2016 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to IEC 62840-1:2025. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
IEC TS 62840-1:2016 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
IEC TS 62840-1 ®
Edition 1.0 2016-07
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
colour
inside
Electric vehicle battery swap system –
Part 1: General and guidance
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IEC TS 62840-1 ®
Edition 1.0 2016-07
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
colour
inside
Electric vehicle battery swap system –
Part 1: General and guidance
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 43.120 ISBN 978-2-8322-3489-1
– 2 – IEC TS 62840-1:2016 © IEC 2016
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references. 7
3 Terms and definitions . 7
4 System overview . 9
4.1 Battery swap system . 9
4.2 Battery swap station . 10
4.2.1 General description . 10
4.2.2 Lane system . 10
4.2.3 Battery handling system . 11
4.2.4 Storage system . 11
4.2.5 Charging system . 11
4.2.6 Supervisory and control system . 11
4.3 Supporting systems (optional) . 12
4.3.1 General supporting systems . 12
4.3.2 SBS logistic system . 12
4.3.3 Battery maintenance system . 12
4.4 Swappable battery system . 12
4.5 Power supply system . 12
4.6 Interfaces . 12
4.7 Zones . 13
4.7.1 General . 13
4.7.2 Vehicle lane zone . 13
4.7.3 Battery swap zone . 13
4.7.4 Battery storage zone . 14
4.7.5 Battery charging zone . 14
5 Classification . 15
5.1 General . 15
5.2 Automation level . 15
5.2.1 General . 15
5.2.2 Full automatic . 15
5.2.3 Semi-automatic . 15
5.2.4 Manual mode . 16
5.3 SBS swapping direction . 16
5.4 EV categories . 16
5.5 Environmental conditions . 16
Annex A (informative) Use case . 17
A.1 Use case for positioning vehicle . 17
A.2 Use case for swapping battery pack . 17
A.3 Use case for charging SBS . 18
A.4 Use case for maintaining SBS . 18
A.5 Use case for emergency charging vehicle . 18
Annex B (informative) Battery swap station solutions . 20
B.1 General . 20
B.2 Commercial vehicles battery swap station . 22
B.2.1 Automatic side-swapping station . 22
B.2.2 Automatic top-swapping station . 22
B.3 Passenger cars battery swap station . 23
B.3.1 Semi-automatic rear-swapping station . 23
B.3.2 Automatic bottom-swapping station . 24
B.3.3 Automatic side-swapping station . 25
Bibliography . 27
Figure 1 – EV battery swap system . 10
Figure B.1 – Automatic side-swapping station layout . 22
Figure B.2 – Automatic top-swapping station layout . 23
Figure B.3 – Semi-automatic rear-swapping station layout . 24
Figure B.4 – Automatic bottom-swapping station layout . 25
Figure B.5 – Automatic side-swapping station layout . 26
Table 1 – Accessibility of vehicle lane zone . 13
Table 2 – Accessibility of battery swap zone . 14
Table 3 – Accessibility of battery storage zone . 14
Table 4 – Accessibility of battery charging zone . 15
Table A.1 – Use case for positioning vehicle . 17
Table A.2 – Use case for swapping battery pack . 17
Table A.3 – Use case for charging SBS . 18
Table A.4 – Use case for maintaining SBS . 18
Table A.5 – Use case for emergency charging vehicle . 19
Table B.1 – Key index of the systems in different types of battery swap stations . 21
– 4 – IEC TS 62840-1:2016 © IEC 2016
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY SWAP SYSTEM –
Part 1: General and guidance
FOREWORD
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The main task of IEC technical committees is to prepare International Standards. In
exceptional circumstances, a technical committee may propose the publication of a Technical
Specification when
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despite repeated efforts, or
• the subject is still under technical development or where, for any other reason, there is the
future but no immediate possibility of an agreement on an International Standard.
Technical Specifications are subject to review within three years of publication to decide
whether they can be transformed into International Standards.
IEC TS 62840-1, which is a Technical Specification, has been prepared by IEC technical
committee 69: Electric road vehicles and electric industrial trucks.
The text of this Technical Specification is based on the following documents:
Enquiry draft Report on voting
69/368/DTS 69/399/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this technical specification can be found in
the report on voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all parts in the IEC 62840 series, published under the general title Electric vehicle
battery swap system, can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• transformed into an International standard,
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
A bilingual version of this publication may be issued at a later date.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
– 6 – IEC TS 62840-1:2016 © IEC 2016
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of the battery swap system is to provide energy partly or in total to electric road
vehicles (EVs) through fast replacement of their swappable battery system (SBS). While
charging, the EV typically takes a relatively long time, the battery swap process takes only a
few minutes to complete. Thus it will reduce range anxiety and will facilitate travel for longer
distances.
As there is a possibility to charge the batteries after their removal from the vehicle in various
ways, the impact of this process on the critical infrastructure of the electrical grid is minimized.
Battery swap stations mainly include one or more of the following functions:
• swap of EV swappable battery system (SBS);
• storage of EV SBS;
• charging and cooling of EV SBS;
• testing, maintenance and safety management of EV SBS.
This document serves as generic requirements for battery swap systems for EVs.
The IEC 62840 series includes two parts:
– IEC 62840-1: General and guidance;
– IEC 62840-2: Safety requirements.
ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY SWAP SYSTEM –
Part 1: General and guidance
1 Scope
This part of IEC 62840, which is a Technical Specification, gives the general overview for
battery swap systems, for the purposes of swapping batteries of electric road vehicles (EVs)
when the vehicle powertrain is turned off and when the battery swap system is connected to
the supply network at standard supply voltages according to IEC 60038 with a rated voltage
up to 1 000 V AC and up to 1 500 V DC.
This document is applicable for battery swap systems for EV equipped with one or more
swappable battery system (SBS).
NOTE Battery swap systems for light electric vehicles (LEVs) according to the IEC 61851-3 series are under
consideration.
This document is not applicable to:
• aspects related to maintenance and service of the battery swap station (BSS);
• trolley buses, rail vehicles and vehicles designed primarily for use off-road;
• maintenance and service of EVs.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and
are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
IEC 60038, IEC standard voltages
3 Terms and definitions
3.1
electric vehicle
EV
electric road vehicle
vehicle propelled by an electric motor drawing current from a rechargeable storage battery or
from other portable energy storage devices (rechargeable, using energy from a source off the
vehicle, such as residential or public electric service), which is manufactured primarily for use
on public streets, roads or highways
[SOURCE: ISO 17409:2015, 3.19, modified — Some precisions have been added.]
3.2
battery swap system
battery swap station and supporting systems
_____________
Under consideration.
– 8 – IEC TS 62840-1:2016 © IEC 2016
3.3
supporting system
system which serve the battery swap station
3.4
battery swap station
BSS
facility that provides EVs with a swappable battery system (SBS )
3.5
battery pack
energy storage device that includes cells or cell assemblies normally connected with cell
electronics, voltage class B circuit and overcurrent shut-off device, including electrical
interconnections, and interfaces for external systems
Note 1 to entry: For further explanation, see ISO 12405-1:2011, 5.4 and Clause A.2.
Note 2 to entry: Examples of external systems are cooling, voltage class B, auxiliary voltage class A and
communication.
[SOURCE: ISO 12405-1:2011, 3.2]
3.6
swappable battery system
SBS
battery pack with a coupler for connecting charger/electric vehicle (EV), lock/unlock devices,
battery control unit (BCU), thermal management unit, electrical protection circuit, enclosure
and supporting devices
3.7
battery system
energy storage device that includes cells or cell assemblies or battery pack(s) as well as
electrical circuits and electronics
Note 1 to entry: For further explanation, see ISO 12405-1:2011, 5.5.2, 5.5.3, A.3.1 and A.3.2. Battery system
components can also be distributed in different devices within the vehicle.
Note 2 to entry: Examples of electronics are the BCU and contactors.
[SOURCE: ISO 12405-1:2011, 3.3]
3.8
swappable battery system coupler
SBS coupler
dedicated coupler for connecting a swappable battery system to an electric vehicle (EV) or to
a charging rack
3.9
SBS charger
swappable battery system charger
device installed outside the EV to supply DC power to a swappable battery system (SBS) or a
series of SBS
3.10
charging rack
equipment used for carrying a swappable battery system (SBS) and connecting a SBS to a
charger to accomplish the charge process
3.11
storage rack
equipment used to store a swappable battery system (SBS)
3.12
transferring equipment
equipment used for transferring a swappable battery system (SBS) inside a battery swap
station (BSS)
3.13
battery swap equipment
swap equipment
equipment used for mounting/unmounting a swappable battery system (SBS) to/ from electric
vehicles (EVs)
Note 1 to entry: The battery transferring function may be integrated in the battery swap equipment.
3.14
battery control unit
BCU
electronic device that controls, manages, detects or calculates electric and thermal functions
of the battery system and that provides communication between the battery system and the
battery swap system
[SOURCE: ISO 12405-1:2011, 3.1, modified — The words "other vehicle controllers" have
been replaced by "the battery swap system".]
3.15
human machine interface
HMI
interface between operating staff and the instrumentation and computer systems connected to
the plant
Note 1 to entry: In this case, the plant refers to BSS.
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-395:2014, 395-07-48, modified — The note to entry has been replaced
by a new note.]
4 System overview
4.1 Battery swap system
Battery swap systems provide quick, safe and reliable swapping of the swappable battery
system (SBS) of electric vehicles (EVs). The batteries will be loaded in a battery swap station
(BSS). The SBS are stored in a battery rack in the BSS. The battery swapping is carried out
by means of appropriate manipulators.
EV battery swap system consists of:
• BSS,
• supporting systems,
• SBS, and
• power supply system.
Figure 1 shows the composition of the EV battery swap system and the relationships between
the various systems.
– 10 – IEC TS 62840-1:2016 © IEC 2016
Power grid
Power supply
Mechanical/Electrical
system
connection
(optional)
SBS logistic
Comm
...




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