EN IEC 61851-1:2019 is the European edition of IEC 61851-1, the international standard for conductive electric vehicle charging systems. Part 1 is the general rulebook: it defines the charging modes, the basic signalling between charger and car, and the safety functions that charging equipment must provide. When the full name appears on a specification sheet or declaration of conformity, it tells you which rulebook — and which edition — the product was assessed against.
Key Takeaways
- EN IEC 61851-1:2019 is the European edition of the general standard for conductive EV charging systems.
- It defines the charging modes, the control pilot and the equipment’s safety functions — not the plug shape.
- The edition year matters: a product is assessed against the edition its declaration names.
- North America uses a parallel rulebook: SAE J1772, UL listing through OSHA’s NRTL programme, and NFPA 70 for installation.
Reading the Name, Part by Part
| Element | What it means |
|---|---|
| IEC | The International Electrotechnical Commission, which publishes the standard |
| 61851 | The series number covering electric vehicle conductive charging systems |
| Part 1 (the -1) | General requirements — the foundation the rest of the series builds on |
| EN | The same text adopted as a European Norm, the edition used across Europe |
| 2019 | The edition year — the version of the text a product is assessed against |
The EN prefix makes this text the reference version for products placed on the European market.
What Part 1 Covers — and What It Leaves to Others
Its best-known content is the framework of four charging modes, which classify how a car connects and where protection sits. Our guide to Mode 2 vs Mode 3 charging works through the modes in full. It also sets the general rules for the control pilot — the signal telling the car how much current it may draw — and for keeping the connector unpowered until a proper connection is made.
Other documents carry other parts of the job:
- Further parts of the IEC 61851 series deal with DC charging equipment and its communication with the vehicle.
- IEC 62196 defines the connector shapes, such as Type 2.
- ISO 15118 defines the digital conversation between car and charger, behind features like Plug and Charge.
- Separate standards cover protective devices such as the residual-current protection in our RCD protection guide.
Who Actually Uses This Document
- Manufacturers design and test equipment against it; it is the shared language between a factory and a test laboratory.
- Test and certification bodies assess products against the edition named — the basis for marks such as CE in Europe.
- Installers meet it indirectly: national guidance — in the UK, the IET Code of Practice for EV charging equipment installation — turns it into site rules.
- Buyers, importers and distributors check the declaration of conformity: the standard and edition named there are the quickest evidence of what the product was built to.
EVDANCE has manufactured chargers in Shenzhen since 2011, exports to more than 30 countries, and designs its products for IEC markets within this framework.
The Same Job, a Different Rulebook in North America
North America runs on a parallel set of documents. SAE J1772 covers the connector and AC charging method; safety listing runs through OSHA’s nationally recognized testing laboratory programme under standards such as UL 2594 — explained in our guide to UL and ETL listing for EV chargers — and installation follows the National Electrical Code, NFPA 70. A nameplate tells you which system a product was built for. Our comparison of whether EV chargers are AC or DC sums up the practical difference.
Equipment Designed for IEC Markets
Portable chargers are the Mode 2 equipment this framework describes: the EVDANCE EV-ACS3205PE is a 22 kW three-phase portable charger with a CEE 32A plug, Type 2 connector and IP66 rating.
Fixed wallboxes are Mode 3: the EVDANCE EV-ACT3204PE is a 22 kW wallbox with tethered Type 2 cable, RFID and app control, IP66 and CE marking. Whichever you buy, check the declaration of conformity — that document, not the brochure, is the evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is IEC 61851 a law?
No, it is a standard, not legislation. In Europe, laws set the essential safety requirements, and harmonised standards such as the EN edition are the normal route manufacturers use to show their equipment meets them.
Why does the edition year matter?
Standards are revised as technology develops. A declaration naming the 2019 edition tells you the product was assessed against that text; products citing different editions were not necessarily assessed against identical requirements.
Does IEC 61851 define the plug shape?
No — connector shapes are IEC 62196’s job. IEC 61851 covers the system: how equipment connects, signals, controls current and protects the user.
Related Reading
- Mode 2 vs Mode 3 Charging: What IEC 61851 Means for Portable EV Chargers
- UL and ETL Listing for EV Chargers: How NRTL Certification Works
- RCD Protection for EV Chargers: Type A, Type B and 6 mA DC Detection Explained
- Are EV Chargers AC or DC?
