Charging Test — IEC 61851 / ISO 15118 / DIN 70121

What Is Charging?

The charging test verifies whether the electric vehicle communicates correctly with the charging station, whether the charging process starts and ends safely, and whether it operates compatibly with different station brands. It is applied on both the vehicle and station sides.

Purpose of Charging

The purpose is to prevent field incompatibilities and to verify that the charging process operates according to the control and safety sequence prescribed by the standards.

Which Products Is Charging Applied To?

Electric vehicles and on-board charging units
AC and DC charging stations
Wall-mounted charging units (wallboxes)
Charging cables and control boxes

In Which Sectors Is Charging Used?

AutomotiveEnergyElectrical & Electronics

Standards Related to Charging

IEC 61851-1
IEC 61851-23
IEC 61851-24
ISO 15118-2
ISO 15118-20
DIN 70121
IEC 62196

Charging Conditions

Charging modes: Modes 1–4 per IEC 61851-1; the mode to be tested is determined by the product
Control pilot: The PWM signal, resistance coding, and state transitions (A–F) are verified
Communication: ISO 15118 or DIN 70121 protocol over PLC for DC charging

Equipment for Charging

Vehicle simulator (EV simulator)
Charging-station simulator (EVSE simulator)
Protocol analyser and compliance test software
High-power DC source and load
Oscilloscope and power analyser
Insulation measurement equipment

Sample Requirements for Charging

The vehicle or charging unit, together with its relevant software version
Charging cable and connector
Protocol configuration information and the list of supported features
Access to stations/vehicles of different brands may be required for compatibility testing

Duration of Charging

Protocol-compliance tests take a few days; large-scale interoperability campaigns take longer.

Charging Procedure

1The control-pilot signal and state transitions are verified.
2Locking and connector-detection functions are checked.
3A communication session is established and the protocol message sequence is monitored.
4The insulation test and the precharge steps are verified.
5Charging current and voltage are applied incrementally.
6Normal termination and emergency-stop scenarios are tested.
7Fault scenarios (cable removal, loss of communication, over-temperature) are applied.

Charging Acceptance Criteria

The acceptance criterion is compliance with the state transitions, message sequence and timing requirements prescribed by the applied standard. From a safety perspective, the system is required to transition to a safe state within the defined time under a fault condition.

Evaluation of Results

Protocol conformance and timing tolerances are evaluated. Implementations that conform to the standard but are interpreted differently are the most common cause of field incompatibility; interoperability tests therefore carry value separate from protocol-conformance testing.

Charging Report

Product tested and software version
Applied standards and charging mode
Control-pilot measurements and state-transition records
Protocol message logs
Fault scenarios and system responses
Interoperability matrix (if performed)

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

Regulations on alternative-fuel infrastructure
IEC 62196 connector requirements

Otomotiv Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Charging test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Automotive testing shows that a component keeps working under conditions representing the loads it will meet over the life of the vehicle. A vehicle is not a single product but an ENVIRONMENT: vibration, temperature cycling, salt water, stone impact, electrical transients and electromagnetic noise are all present at the same time and for years.

What distinguishes this family is that VEHICLE MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS sit on top of the standards. ISO and SAE publications establish the common ground; but Volkswagen, BMW, Ford, Stellantis, Toyota and Renault define different severity levels, additional tests and different acceptance criteria in their own specifications. For a component, the phrase "complies with automotive standards" is not sufficient on its own; which manufacturer's specification, and which revision of it, must be answered.

The family carries three separate processes together and they are often confused. Homologation covers the type approvals a vehicle needs to enter traffic and runs under state authority. Supplier approval means passing the vehicle manufacturer's own quality and testing requirements and is a commercial relationship. The third is design verification: the engineering team demonstrating that its own design meets its targets.

At component level the test plan is built around the LOCATION OF USE. A module in the engine bay and a module in the boot do not go through the same temperature and vibration profile; a component inside a door and one in the roof console do not see the same water and dust exposure. The ISO 16750 series is the common framework for this location-based approach.

The shift to electric vehicles has reshaped the field. High-voltage safety, insulation coordination, battery safety, charging interface conformity and the electromagnetic behaviour of high-voltage components have been added to the classical automotive test set. In a quiet vehicle, acoustic and vibration expectations have changed too; sounds once masked by the combustion engine are now audible.

The quality system side cannot be separated from testing in this field. A manufacturer under IATF 16949 presents test results in the PPAP file; measurement system analysis, process capability study and the control plan stand around the test report. A single good result is not enough — the process must be shown to be able to repeat it.

Method groups in this field

Environmental and climatic
Temperature cycling, thermal shock, damp heat, salt spray, dust and water ingress (IP), solar radiation. Severity levels vary with the mounting location.
Mechanical
Sine and random vibration, shock, mechanical loads, fastener torque and durability cycles.
Electrical
Supply voltage variations, transients (ISO 7637), reverse polarity, overvoltage, short circuit and sleep current measurements.
EMC
Component emissions (CISPR 25), radiated and conducted immunity (ISO 11452 series), electrostatic discharge (ISO 10605).
Materials and emissions
Odour, fogging and VOC emissions from interior materials; flammability; UV ageing; coating durability and stone impact.
Functional safety and cyber security
Functional safety evidence under ISO 26262 and cyber security engineering under ISO/SAE 21434; these are tied to regulation through UNECE R155 and R156.

Commonly confused in this field

An automotive report without a specification reference is not accepted in the supply chain; which OEM specification and revision was applied must be stated.
Type approval and supplier approval are different processes. A component with E-Mark approval is not thereby considered to have passed the OEM's own acceptance tests.
A result obtained on a prototype does not carry over to series production; PPAP is done with series production parts.
On the EMC side, measuring emissions alone is incomplete; immunity is a separate body of work and is more critical in a vehicle.
On electric vehicle components, high-voltage safety is a distinct competence; classical 12 V test infrastructure is not sufficient.

Which decisions these results support

Supplier component approval and the PPAP file
UNECE type approval and E-Mark marking
Design verification and durability evidence
Root cause analysis of field complaints and warranty returns
Assessing the impact of a design or supplier change

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Charging

I passed the protocol test — why am I experiencing incompatibility in the field?

Protocol-conformance testing verifies the standard's requirements; however, points where different manufacturers interpret the standard differently create incompatibility in the field. Interoperability tests are therefore performed separately.

What is the difference between ISO 15118 and DIN 70121?

DIN 70121 is the protocol that became widespread early on for DC charging; ISO 15118 is more comprehensive and supports features such as Plug & Charge and bidirectional charging. Many vehicles and stations support both for backward compatibility.