Against the backdrop of frequent thermal runaway incidents involving lithium-ion batteries, nickel-based batteries continue to be widely used in portable devices due to their high intrinsic safety and strong abuse tolerance.In response to increasingly stringent global battery safety requirements, the International Electrotechnical Commission (lEC) has recently released the new edition of the safety standard for portable nickel-based batteries,lEC 62133-1:2026.The corresponding European standard has also been updated simultaneously.
Key Updates
Streamlined terminology definitions: Removed definitions of “secondary battery”, “portable battery”, and “portable cell”
Clarified test conditions:Revised “room temperature” to “20°C ± 5°C” in the case stress test for battery at high ambient temperature.
Refined test diagrams: Updated the temperature curve diagram in the temperature cycling test.
The revised standard simplifies definitions and imposes more detailed requirements for test methods, eliminating ambiguities and possible interpretation gaps, thereby making the standard more focused on the intrinsic safety of nickel-based batteries.
MCM Reminder
The release of IEC 62133-1:2026 is not just a routine standard revision; it signifies further tightening of the international safety requirements for nickel-based batteries. Manufacturers are advised to compare the differences between the old and new versions as early as possible, anticipate the impact on product certification, optimize product design, and mitigate compliance risks in advance.
How MCM Can Support Your Business?
As an accredited CBTL under the ICEE CB Scheme, MCM holds authoritative qualifications, enabling customers to complete CB certification applications and testing directly at MCM.
MCM is also one of the earliest third-party organizations to conduct IEC 62133 certification testing, possessing core competence to efficiently resolve certification and testing challenges.
MCM provides customers with comprehensive technical support and up-to-date industry insights,keeping you informed of the latest standards developments and certification policies in real time, and offering end-to-end support throughout the compliance and certification process.
If you have any related needs, please feel free to contact us at any time. MCM looks forward to working with you to achieve more possibilities!
