Tribune staff report | Underwriters Laboratories Inc. said it will partner
with Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute to develop safety testing methodologies and requirements for power systems in
electric vehicles.

“We expect our alliance with ITRI, the organization that has leading R&D capabilities and strong industry ties, to accelerate Taiwan’s development of electric vehicles that combine performance and security,” said Gary Savin, UL’s vice president and general manager of global power and controls business. “We are contributing our technological expertise, which is backed by more than a century of experience in safety testing, certification and standards development.”

After releasing a new set of requirements for electric vehicle charges in 1998, UL has been delivering a broad range of testing solutions and safety standards for electric vehicles and associated components. In the next five years, UL and ITRI plan to develop testing methodologies for safety of electric vehicles, including charging systems (on and off-vehicle), power batteries and electric power systems.

In 2009 UL also established the Advanced Energy Safety Center to conduct research for safety of emerging technologies in Taiwan. AESC focuses on safety-testing technologies that support development of EV power systems as well as systems that generate power from renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind.