Buyer's guide
Battery standards: BCI, DIN, JIS — and what they mean for your market
Three regional standards govern the world's automotive battery market. AltusVolt exports Lingyun batteries in all three formats — this guide helps you choose the right standard for your country and application.
Quick reference
Three standards at a glance.
| Standard | Region | Naming format | Typical models |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCI | North America (US, Canada, Mexico) | Group 24, 27, 31, 34, 35, 65, 75, 78 | Group 31 heavy-duty, Group 35 passenger |
| DIN / EN | Europe, UK, Russia, MENA premium | 5-digit ETN (56038), LN1/LN2/LN3 | LN3 AGM start-stop, 56038 mid-size |
| JIS | Japan, Korea, ASEAN, Australia 4WD, LATAM | [perf][class][length][polarity] — 55D23R | 55D23, 80D26, 95D31, NS40 |
Origin: USA
BCI — the North American standard.
Battery Council International (BCI) publishes the group-size standard that dominates US, Canadian, and Mexican OEM and aftermarket. Codes are short — a 2- or 3-digit group number that identifies a fixed case footprint and terminal layout (e.g. 24, 31, 65, 75).
Most common passenger sizes: Group 24 (light truck, RV starting), Group 35 (Toyota, Honda), Group 65 (Ford F-series), Group 75/78 (GM side-terminal). Heavy-duty: Group 27, 31, 4D, 8D.
Terminal types: SAE automotive post (passenger), threaded stud 3/8"-16 UNC (heavy-duty truck), L-terminal flat tab (occasional commercial), and side-terminal (GM legacy).
Group 31 deep-dive → — the most-asked-about heavy-duty BCI size, with full dimensions, weight, CCA range, and Class 6-8 / RV / marine fitments.
Sub-section
Deep-dive: BCI Group 31.
BCI defines Group 31 as a heavy-duty footprint with nominal external dimensions of 13 inches long × 6 13/16 inches wide × 9 7/16 inches tall (approximately 330 × 173 × 240 mm). It is the most common heavy-duty SLI and dual-purpose group size in North America.
Group 31 sits one tier above Group 27 in capacity and is physically larger than the passenger-car Group 24/34. Its tall case allows for deeper plates, supporting both starting (high CCA) and deep-cycle (high reserve capacity) chemistries.
Terminal configurations
- SAE automotive post — passenger-car style tapered post, light-duty.
- Threaded stud (3/8"-16 UNC) — heavy-duty truck and industrial cable lugs.
- Dual-purpose (post + stud) — universal fit for marine and aftermarket.
- L-terminal — flat tab with bolt hole, commercial fitment.
BCI group-size comparison: Group 24 vs 27 vs 31 vs 34
| Spec | Group 24 | Group 27 | Group 31 | Group 34 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 10 1/4" | 12 1/16" | 13" | 10 1/4" |
| Width | 6 13/16" | 6 13/16" | 6 13/16" | 6 13/16" |
| Height | 8 7/8" | 8 7/8" | 9 7/16" | 7 7/8" |
| Weight | 17-19 kg | 19-23 kg | 22-32 kg | 17-19 kg |
| Typical CCA | 600-800 | 700-900 | 800-1,150 | 700-880 |
| Typical RC (min) | 120-140 | 140-180 | 180-220 | 100-120 |
| Primary use | Light truck, RV start | Marine, light commercial | Class 6-8, RV deep-cycle | US passenger SUV/truck |
Three real-world Group 31 fits
Class 6-8 heavy trucks
12L+ diesel engines pulling 700-900A at start. Group 31's 800-1,150 CCA range gives 30%+ headroom in cold weather. Stud terminals for cable lugs. Calcium-calcium grid for engine-bay heat resistance.
RV house banks
Two or four Group 31 AGM units in parallel give 200-500Ah of usable deep-cycle storage. Spill-proof for tilted parking. Vibration-rated for road travel. Reserve capacity over 200 min covers overnight loads.
Marine dual-purpose
Single Group 31 covers engine starting and trolling/electronics on small fishing boats. Dual-terminal post+stud for accessory wiring. CCS-compliant marine versions available for commercial vessels.
AltusVolt's recommended Lingyun Group 31 platforms
Lingyun's heavy-duty calcium-calcium platform was first-fit qualified by Shaanxi Auto, Beiben, and Foton. The same plate technology is produced in Group 31 footprint for North American aftermarket and OEM customers, exported worldwide by AltusVolt.
Origin: Germany / EU
DIN / EN — Europe & heavy-duty.
Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN) originated the European battery group-size standard in DIN 72311. EN 50342 superseded it as the European-wide standard but kept compatible footprints. Industry still uses "DIN" colloquially for the case sizes.
Passenger sizes (L1–L6)
EU passenger AGM start-stop is dominated by L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 — increasing in length while keeping the standard 175 mm width and 190 mm height. LN1/LN2/LN3/LN4/LN5 are the AGM-coded variants with reinforced case and pressure relief.
Heavy-duty (A / B / C / D)
Commercial vehicles use Type A (135Ah class), Type B (180Ah), Type C (220Ah), and Type D (240Ah+). Common DIN ETN codes: 56038, 57539, 58514, 59518, 60044, 61044, 64020.
Origin: Japan
JIS — Asia & global aftermarket.
Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) covers Japan, Korea, ASEAN, Australia 4WD/marine, and large parts of Latin American passenger aftermarket. Code format combines performance class, case size, length, and polarity.
Common sizes by capacity tier: NS40 (36Ah Asian sub-compact), NS70 (60Ah Asian compact), 55B24 / 55D23 (60Ah mid-sedan, e.g. Toyota Camry), 80D26 (70Ah Hilux / mid-truck), 95D31 / 105D31 (80–90Ah SUV / light commercial diesel), N100 / N120 / N150 / N200 (100–200Ah light truck / heavy commercial).
Decoding "55D23R"
- 55
- Performance class — correlates roughly to Ah and CCA. Higher = more capacity.
- D
- Case-size class. A=smallest, H=largest. D = medium-large width/height.
- 23
- Long-side length in centimeters (23 cm = 230 mm).
- R
- Polarity. R = positive on right (looking from terminal end). L = positive on left.
Cross-reference
JIS ↔ DIN/EN ↔ BCI
Approximate equivalents — always verify physical dimensions, terminal layout, and hold-down compatibility before substituting.
| JIS code | Capacity (Ah) | DIN / EN | BCI Group | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS40 / NS40Z | 36-40 | 53520 | 121R | Asian sub-compact |
| NS70 / N50Z | 60-65 | 56030 | 86 | Asian compact |
| 55B24 | 45-50 | 54519 | 151R | Toyota Prius, hybrid auxiliary |
| 55D23 | 60 | 56038 / LN1 | 35 / 86 | Toyota Camry, mid-size sedan |
| 75D23 | 65 | 57539 | 35 | Mid-size with high accessory load |
| 80D26 | 70 | 57539 / LN2 | 24 | Toyota Hilux, mid-truck |
| 95D31 | 80-85 | 58514 / LN3 | 27 / 27F | SUV, light commercial diesel |
| 105D31 | 85-90 | 58515 / LN4 | 27F | Heavy SUV, 4WD diesel |
| 115D31 | 90 | 59518 | 27F | 4WD, marine starting |
| N100 / N120 | 100-120 | 60044 / 61044 | 31 | Light truck, RV |
| N150 | 150 | 64020 | 31 / 4D | Heavy truck, agricultural |
| N200 | 200 | 70027 | 8D | Heavy-haul, marine, industrial |
Which standard for your market
Decision guidance.
Aftermarket Asia → JIS
Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines. Japanese-brand car parc requires JIS sizing — 55D23, 80D26, 95D31 are core SKUs.
EU heavy-duty → DIN
EU-27, UK, Russia, Turkey, North Africa premium aftermarket. DIN ETN codes and L1–L6 / LN1–LN5 are required for European-brand passenger and commercial.
Americas + Australia 4WD → BCI
USA, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean — BCI is mandatory. Australia 4WD/marine often specs BCI Group 31 alongside JIS for Japanese vehicles.
Australia city → mixed JIS / DIN
Mixed car parc — Japanese imports use JIS, European imports use DIN. Stocking distributors carry both ranges. See Australia market guide →
Frequently asked questions
What does the JIS code 55D23R mean? expand_more
"55" is the performance class (roughly correlates to capacity), "D" is the case-size class (D = medium-large), "23" is the long-side length in centimeters (23 cm), and "R" is the polarity (R = positive terminal on right when viewed from the terminal end). "L" indicates positive on the left.
Are DIN and EN battery standards the same? expand_more
They are closely related. DIN 72311 was the original German standard; EN 50342 superseded it as the European-wide standard but kept compatible footprints. Industry still uses "DIN" colloquially — DIN LN1, LN2, LN3 are common naming for AGM start-stop sizes under EN 50342.
Can I cross-reference a JIS battery to a DIN battery? expand_more
Approximately, yes — but never assume drop-in fit. Case heights, hold-down geometry, and terminal positions differ. Use cross-reference tables as a starting point, then confirm physical dimensions and terminal layout against the vehicle.
Which standard does the US use? expand_more
BCI (Battery Council International) group sizes are the dominant standard in North America for both OEM and aftermarket. Common BCI groups include 24, 27, 31, 34, 35, 51, 65, 75, 78.
Why does Australia use both JIS and DIN? expand_more
Australian car parc is mixed: Japanese imports (Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru) use JIS sizes; European imports (BMW, Audi, VW, Mercedes) use DIN/EN. Australian aftermarket distributors stock both, with JIS dominant in 4WD and marine.
What does NS40, NS70 mean? expand_more
These are JIS "S" (Slim) variants common in Asian small cars. NS40 ≈ 36Ah class, NS70 ≈ 65Ah class. The "S" indicates a slimmer case than the standard JIS.
What is a BCI Group 31 battery? expand_more
BCI Group 31 is a North American battery group size defined by the Battery Council International. It specifies a case footprint of approximately 13" × 6 13/16" × 9 7/16" (330 × 173 × 240 mm) and is the dominant size class for Class 6–8 trucks, RVs, marine deep-cycle, and heavy industrial starting applications.
How heavy is a Group 31 battery and what CCA can I expect? expand_more
A flooded Group 31 SLI typically weighs 22–26 kg (49–58 lb). AGM Group 31 deep-cycle units are heavier at 28–32 kg. Heavy-duty starting units deliver 800–1,150 CCA at -18°C; deep-cycle AGM units typically rate 800–950 CCA with reserve capacity over 200 minutes.
Is a Group 31 battery a deep-cycle battery? expand_more
Group 31 refers only to physical size — not chemistry or duty cycle. Group 31 batteries are sold as starting (SLI), dual-purpose, and true deep-cycle (AGM, flooded, gel). Confirm cycle-life rating, not just the group size.
Does Lingyun manufacture to all three standards? expand_more
Yes. Lingyun produces JIS, DIN/EN, and BCI footprints across the same plate platform — the range AltusVolt exports covers passenger, commercial, deep-cycle, and start-stop applications in every regional standard. Specify your target market in the inquiry and AltusVolt will recommend the matching part numbers and terminal types.
Need a cross-reference for a specific model?
AltusVolt's export team can map any OE part number to a Lingyun equivalent across BCI, DIN/EN, and JIS — typical turnaround under 24 hours.