When you sell EV charging cables into North America, the standard that governs the cable itself is UL 2263. It is the North American counterpart to Europe's EN 50620 / IEC 62893 — but the two regimes differ in materials, units, and testing philosophy. This guide explains what UL 2263 covers, its cable types, how it fits the North American regulatory ecosystem, and how it compares to the European standards.
TL;DR
- UL 2263-2022 is the first standalone North American safety standard for EV charging cable, jointly published by UL, CSA Group, and ANCE (covers US, Canada, Mexico).
- Six cable types: EV / EVE / EVJ / EVJE / EVJT / EVT — split by insulation material (thermoset, TPE, PVC) and voltage (300 V junior vs 1000 V).
- Rated up to 1000 V AC/DC, temperature classes 60 / 75 / 90 / 105 °C, conductor sizes 18 AWG to 500 kcmil (annealed copper, AWG — not metric mm²).
- Unlike EN 50620 (mandatory halogen-free), UL 2263 permits halogen-containing PVC; it emphasizes crush resistance and VW-1 flame testing.
- North America uses SAE J1772 / J3400 (NACS) connectors and NEC Article 625 — not the IEC 62196 / IEC 61851 system used in Europe.
What is UL 2263?
UL 2263 (Standard for Safety — Electric Vehicle Cable) was first published on 2022-05-09 (editorial revision 2022-07-15). Before that, EV cable requirements lived inside UL 62 (Flexible Cords and Cables), Section 4.8. The new standard was developed as a joint (harmonized North American) standard by UL, CSA Group, and ANCE, so a single "cULus" or regional mark can cover the US, Canada, and Mexico.
It applies to flexible cables rated up to 1000 V AC or DC, with temperature ratings of 60 °C, 75 °C, 90 °C, or 105 °C, used to connect EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment), the supply branch circuit, or the vehicle itself. Cables may include hybrid data, signal, communications, or fiber-optic elements.
The six cable types
UL 2263 classifies cables into three material groups, each with a 300 V "junior" and a 1000 V version:
| Type | Voltage | Insulation material | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EVJ | 300 V | Thermoset (EP, CR, CSM, CPE) | Junior service |
| EV | 1000 V | Thermoset (EP, CR, CSM, CPE) | Heavy-duty |
| EVJE | 300 V | Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) | Junior service |
| EVE | 1000 V | Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) | Heavy-duty |
| EVJT | 300 V | Thermoplastic (PVC) | Junior service |
| EVT | 1000 V | Thermoplastic (PVC) | Heavy-duty |
Key point: PVC (EVJT/EVT) is allowed under UL 2263 — this is a major departure from EN 50620, which mandates halogen-free compounds. If your customer requires halogen-free in North America, specify the TPE (EVJE/EVE) or thermoset (EVJ/EV) types.
Key construction & test requirements
- Conductor: annealed copper (bare or tinned) per ASTM B3/B33 or NMX; flexible stranded, 18 AWG (0.824 mm²) to 500 kcmil (253 mm²). (Note the AWG sizing — North America does not use metric mm² cross-sections for cable ratings.)
- Insulation thickness scales with conductor size (e.g., ~0.76 mm to ~2.41 mm).
- Cold bend / cold impact: rated as low as −40 °C to −70 °C depending on type.
- Oil resistance: required (IRM 902, 60 °C / 168 h), with optional grouped fluid-resistance classes A–E.
- Sunlight (UV) resistance: required (xenon-arc weathering, up to 720 h).
- Flame: VW-1 (per UL 2556) is the headline flame test — different from Europe's IEC 60332-1-2.
- Crush resistance: type-dependent load thresholds (e.g., ≤12 AWG → 4.45 kN).
- Aging / thermal shock: long-term heat aging plus 150 °C hot-shock.
The North American regulatory ecosystem
UL 2263 only covers the cable. A compliant North American EV charging product touches several companion standards:
- NEC Article 625 (NFPA 70) — the installation code for EV charging systems (plus Article 400 for flexible cords).
- SAE J1772 — the AC connector signaling/interface standard (Level 1 & 2).
- SAE J3400 (published Dec 2023) — the NACS (Tesla) connector standard.
- UL 2251 — plugs, receptacles, and vehicle couplers (the physical connectors).
- UL 2231 — personnel-protection (ground-fault) systems for EV supply circuits.
- UL 2594 — the complete EVSE (charger) product safety standard.
- CSA C22.2 No. 332 — the Canadian equivalent of UL 2263.
- ANCE NMX-J-738-ANCE — the Mexican equivalent.
A "UL Listed" EVSE (per UL 2594) is a complete product evaluation. A cable that only cites UL 2263 means the cable material is certified — not the assembled cordset. Both marks matter for market access.
Three-market comparison (EU vs North America vs global)
| Dimension | EU / Europe | North America | Global (IEC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable standard | EN 50620 (AC), IEC 62893 | UL 2263 (US), CSA C22.2 No.332 (CA) | IEC 62893 family |
| Max voltage | 450/750 V (EN 50620) | 300 / 600 / 1000 V | 0,6/1 kV AC, 1500 V DC |
| Halogen | mandatory halogen-free | PVC allowed (EVJT/EVT) | varies by part |
| Units | metric mm² | AWG | metric mm² |
| Headline flame test | IEC 60332-1-2 | VW-1 (UL 2556) | IEC 60332-1-2 |
| Emphasis | UV / ozone / outdoor | crush / oil / VW-1 | balanced + DC/liquid-cooled |
| DC fast charge (Mode 4) | IEC 62893-4 | not a UL 2263 Mode-4 part | IEC 62893-4 |
| Connector | IEC 62196 (Type 2 / CCS2) | SAE J1772 / J3400 (NACS), CCS1 | IEC 62196 |
For the European side, see our guides EN 50620 vs IEC 62893 and, for the solar side, EN 50618 vs IEC 62930.
Selection checklist for North America
- [ ] Target the right region mark: cULus (US+Canada), or separate UL / cUL / ANCE as needed.
- [ ] Pick the cable type by material & voltage: TPE/thermoset (EVJE/EVE/EVJ/EV) for halogen-free; PVC (EVJT/EVT) only if halogen is acceptable.
- [ ] Confirm conductor size in AWG (18 AWG–500 kcmil), not mm².
- [ ] Verify temperature class (60/75/90/105 °C) matches the EVSE design.
- [ ] Remember UL 2263 covers cable only — the full product still needs UL 2594 (EVSE), UL 2251 (connector), UL 2231 (GF protection) and NEC Art. 625 compliance.
- [ ] Never substitute an EN 50620/IEC 62893 cable for a UL 2263 requirement in North America (different materials, units, and flame tests).
FAQ
Q1: Is UL 2263 the same as EN 50620? A: No. They are regional equivalents with real technical differences. UL 2263 (North America) permits PVC/halogen-containing insulation and uses AWG conductor sizes with VW-1 flame and crush testing. EN 50620 (Europe) mandates halogen-free compounds, uses metric mm², and emphasizes UV/ozone/outdoor resistance. A cable certified only to one is generally not acceptable where the other is required.
Q2: What is the difference between UL 2263 and UL 62? A: UL 62 is the long-standing standard for flexible cords and cables; EV cable requirements originally sat inside UL 62 (Section 4.8). UL 2263, first published in 2022, is the dedicated, harmonized North American EV cable standard that replaced that section. New EV cable certifications should reference UL 2263.
Q3: Does UL 2263 cover DC fast charging (Mode 4)? A: UL 2263 covers the cable construction up to 1000 V AC/DC, but the North American DC fast-charge ecosystem (CCS1, liquid-cooled HPC) is handled through related UL investigations (e.g., UL 2251 connectors, outline/derivative evaluations) rather than a single UL 2263 Mode-4 part like IEC 62893-4.
Q4: What about Canada and Mexico? A: Canada uses CSA C22.2 No. 332 (equivalent to UL 2263); Mexico uses ANCE NMX-J-738-ANCE. Because UL 2263 is a joint UL/CSA/ANCE standard, a single certification event can yield cULus or combined regional marks.
Q5: Which connector standard goes with UL 2263 cables? A: North America uses SAE J1772 (AC Level 1/2), SAE J3400 / NACS (Tesla), and CCS1 — implemented by physical connectors certified to UL 2251. This is different from Europe's IEC 62196 (Type 2 / CCS2) system.
Written by Engineer Chan — technical notes from cable.wang, a wire & cable engineering blog.
