Evolutions in international standardization of electrically propelled vehicles for commercial, dual-use and military applications

Electrically propelled vehicles unite diverse technologies and diverse standardization
and regulation cultures. The relevant standardization landscape is
thus a complex one, particularly if new energy vectors such as hydrogen are
taken into account. The proposed paper will highlight current evolutions in the
field, discussing the interaction between various international standardization
committees (particularly ISO TC22 SC21 and IEC TC69). Particular attention
will be given to a number of pending issues such as the definition of reliable performance
and energy consumption tests for plug-in hybrid vehicles with both
fuel and electricity energy supply, as well as to the impact of the introduction
of new technologies such as hydrogen on vehicle safety standardization.
The growing interest for the deployment of hybrid electric drive technology
for military and dual-use applications has given rise to specific standardization
issues, which are being tackled by specific technical teams. Current rating standards
to evaluate the performance of ground vehicles must in fact be adapted to
hybrid electric vehicles especially to those features that were not inherent to the
existing vehicles, such as silent watch, silent mobility, power generation and energy
storage and recovery. New standards are needed to evaluate the potential
benefits of the hybrid systems against the future vehicle requirements within the
specific bounds and regulations of each country. The paper will report on activities
in this field and will recommend specific work areas for standardization,
highlighting the potential interaction with ongoing international standardization
work.