This European Standard is applicable to lead-acid batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V, used
primarily as power source for the starting of internal combustion engines (ICE), lighting and also for
auxiliary equipment of ICE vehicles. These batteries are commonly called “starter batteries”. Batteries
with a nominal voltage of 6 V are also included in the scope of this standard. All referenced voltages
need to be divided by two for 6 V batteries. The batteries under scope of this standard are used for
micro-cycle applications in vehicles which can also be called Start-Stop (or Stop-Start, idling-stop
system, micro-hybrid or idle-stop-and-go) applications. In cars with this special capability, the internal
combustion engine is switched off during a complete vehicle stop, during idling with low speed or
during idling without the need of supporting the vehicle movement by the internal combustion engine.
During the phases in which the engine is switched off, most of the electric and electronic components
of the car need to be supplied by the battery without support of the alternator. In addition, in most
cases an additional regenerative braking (recuperation or regeneration of braking energy) function is
installed. The batteries under these applications are stressed in a completely different way compared
to classical starter batteries. Aside of these additional properties, those batteries need to crank the
ICE and support the lighting and also auxiliary functions in a standard operating mode with support of
the alternator when the internal combustion engine is switched on. All batteries under this scope need
to fulfil basic functions, which are tested under application of EN 50342-1:2015.