EU publishes harmonised battery standard EN 18060 for EV performance

The European Commission has published the reference of the harmonised standard EN 18060:2025 for the performance and durability of electric-vehicle batteries, giving manufacturers a presumption of conformity with the requirements of the EU Battery Regulation. The move comes through Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2048, adopted in Brussels on 14 September 2026 and published in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series) on 16 September 2026.

The decision, signed by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, enters into force on the day of its publication. It is addressed with EEA relevance, meaning its effects extend to the European Economic Area.

A standard drafted in support of the Battery Regulation

The harmonised standard was developed in response to a standardisation request made by the Commission through Implementing Decision C(2021)8614 of 7 December 2021, addressed to the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (Cenelec). On that basis, CEN drafted EN 18060:2025, which the Commission then assessed together with the standardisation body.

The standard covers the performance and durability of rechargeable batteries with internal energy storage for road vehicles, spanning several chemistries:

• alkali-ion chemistries, including Li-Ion and Na-Ion;
• Pb (lead) batteries;
• NiMH (nickel-metal hydride) batteries;
• combined chemistries for EV modules and batteries.

Presumption of conformity under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542

Under Article 15(3) of Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 on batteries and waste batteries, batteries conforming to harmonised standards whose references are published in the Official Journal are presumed to conform with the requirements of that Regulation. The presumption applies to the extent that those requirements are covered by the standard, specifically those set out in Articles 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 78.

The Commission concluded that EN 18060:2025 satisfies the requirements it aims to cover as set out in the Regulation, and therefore deemed it appropriate to publish its reference. The decision is grounded in Article 10(6) of Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 on European standardisation.

What this means for industry

For battery and automotive manufacturers across the EU, publication of the standard’s reference is a practical milestone: compliance with EN 18060:2025 now offers a clear, verifiable route to demonstrating conformity with the Battery Regulation’s performance and durability requirements, reducing the burden of individual technical assessments.

The decision also signals the continued operationalisation of the EU’s battery regulatory framework, which aims to ensure that batteries placed on the EU market are sustainable, safe and performant throughout their lifecycle. As the automotive sector accelerates its transition to electric mobility, the availability of a harmonised standard gives industry a common technical benchmark and strengthens legal certainty for placing EV batteries on the single market.

Source: Official Journal of the European Union, L series, 16.9.2026, p. 1 (official reference: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2048, CELEX 32026D2048).