UN R12 — 05 series of amendments

Under the low electrical energy criterion, the Total Energy (TE) on the high voltage buses must be less than 0.2 joules, instead of 2.0 joules. The energy stored in the Y-capacitors (TEy1, TEy2) must also be less than 0.2 joules, instead of 2.0 joules. The absence of high voltage criterion now adds the words “within 60 s after the impact”. Physical protection now limits the resistance between any two simultaneously reachable exposed conductive parts of electrical protection barriers/enclosures to less than 0.2 Ω. This applies to parts less than 2.5 m from each other, when there is current flow of at least 0.2 A. Paragraph 5.5.1.4.2. adds option (c) for conductively connected AC and DC high voltage buses.

For an aqueous electrolyte REESS, the leakage requirements now apply from the impact until 60 minutes after the impact, instead of 30 minutes. No more than 7 per cent by volume of the REESS electrolyte, with a maximum of 5.0 l, may leak outside the passenger compartment. A non-aqueous electrolyte REESS must not leak liquid electrolyte into the passenger or luggage compartment or outside the vehicle within 60 minutes of the impact. The REESS must now remain attached to the vehicle by at least one component anchorage, bracket, or structure that transfers loads to the vehicle structure. New paragraph 5.5.4. requires no evidence of fire or explosion from the REESS from the impact until 60 minutes after the impact. Paragraph 5.6. now refers to paragraphs 5.2.8. to 5.2.8.4. of UN Regulation No. 94, 04 series, or of UN Regulation No. 137, 02 series.

Throughout the Regulation, the term “electrical power train” is replaced with “electric power train”. New paragraphs 2.39. to 2.46. define aqueous and non-aqueous electrolyte, electrolyte leakage, normal operating conditions, specific voltage condition, State of Charge (SOC), fire and explosion. In the definition of “Live parts” (para. 2.23.), “in normal use” is now “under normal operating conditions”. In paragraph 2.24., “which becomes electrically energized” is now “which is not normally energized, but which can become electrically energized”. Paragraph 2.20. now says which batteries are not considered as a REESS, and what the REESS may include. Paragraph 2.35. now says when only the parts of an electric circuit that operate on high voltage are classified as high voltage bus.

Annex 3, paragraph 2.4.4.1. now gives the procedures for SOC adjustment. Before, the paragraph said that the REESS “shall be at any state of charge, which allows the normal operation of the power train”. The adjustment of SOC must be conducted at an ambient temperature of 20 ± 10 °C. Where different charging procedures are possible, the REESS must be charged using the procedure which yields the highest SOC. When the vehicle is tested, a REESS designed to be externally charged must have no less than 95 per cent of this SOC. For a REESS designed to be charged only by an energy source on the vehicle, the minimum is 90 per cent.

In Annex 7, the voltage symbols V, Vb, V1, V1’, V2 and V2’ are replaced with U, Ub, U1, U1’, U2 and U2’. For voltage measurement and the low electrical energy assessment, the earliest time is now 10 seconds after the impact, instead of 5 seconds. In the Total Energy formulas for the X-capacitors and the Y-capacitors, “– 3 600” is deleted. Paragraph 4.1. now gives two test methods for measuring electric resistance: a resistance tester, or a DC power supply, voltmeter and ammeter. Paragraph 5. on isolation resistance now has two measurement methods: DC voltage from external sources, or the vehicle's own REESS as DC voltage source. Annex 7, Appendix 1 is deleted, and the jointed test finger is now described in Figure 3.

From the 05 series' official date of entry into force, no Contracting Party applying this Regulation may refuse to grant or accept its type-approvals. From 1 September 2023, Contracting Parties are not obliged to accept type-approvals of vehicles to the preceding series first issued after 1 September 2023. Approvals of vehicles to the preceding series first issued before 1 September 2023 must stay accepted if the earlier transitional provisions foresee this. Contracting Parties may grant type-approvals to any preceding series, and must continue to grant extensions of existing approvals to any preceding series. Former paragraphs 13.3. to 13.3.8. are renumbered as paragraphs 13.4. to 13.4.8., and paragraph 13.4. becomes paragraph 13.5. Former paragraphs 13.4.2. and 13.4.3. on separate type approvals of steering controls which include an airbag are deleted.

Paragraphs 4.2.2. and 4.3.2. now assign approval numbers in accordance with Schedule 4 of the Agreement (E/ECE/TRANS/505/Rev.3 and Amend.1). After a modification is notified, the Type Approval Authority may decide, in consultation with the manufacturer, to grant a new type approval. Or it may apply the revision procedure (para. 7.1.1.) and, if applicable, the extension procedure (para. 7.1.2.). The conformity of production procedures must comply with Schedule 1 of the Agreement (E/ECE/TRANS/505/Rev.3 and Amend.1). Withdrawals and discontinued production are now notified with a copy of the approval form with a signed and dated annotation. The approval mark examples in Annex 2 now refer to the 05 series of amendments.