ANSI Electric Vehicles Workshop

Europe’s push to develop electric cars is driven by the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions in order to curb climate change and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. In June of last year, the European Commission and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) issued a mandate to the European Standards Organizations (ESOs) regarding the charging of electric cars, scooters, and bicycles.

As a result, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) created a Joint Focus Group that will respond to the mandate by assessing European needs and seeking to ensure that international standards meet these needs. Safety, interoperability, and performance of AC and DC charging modes and vehicle connectors are key issues to be addressed. The ANSI workshop, which is being convened on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy and the Idaho National Laboratory, will feature a report from John Ketchell, director of innovation at CEN/CENELEC, on the Focus Group’s work, which is targeted for completion by March 31, 2011.

The MOU between ISO and IEC recognizes that international standardization of electrotechnology for road vehicles encompasses both the on-board equipment and performance of road vehicles and the interface between externally chargeable vehicles and the electricity supply infrastructure. The MOU creates a framework of cooperation between ISO Technical Committee (TC) 22, Road vehicles, and relevant IEC TCs and Subcommittees that deal with related equipment, including electrical and electronic systems and components.

The current version of the agenda for the ANSI workshop is available at www.ansi.org/edv. The deadline for registration is Friday, March 25, 2011.

A block of rooms for meeting attendees is available at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center on Monday, April 4, and Tuesday, April 5, for a discounted rate of $219, plus tax. To secure the discounted rate, reservations must be made by Tuesday, March 8, 2011. Visit the event website for further details.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and the American quality of life by promoting, facilitating, and safeguarding the integrity of the voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. The Institute represents the diverse interests of more than 125,000 companies and organizations and 3.5 million professionals worldwide.

The Institute is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and is a U.S. representative to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

www.ansi.org/