As the auto industry develops zero-emission vehicles and bring them to market by the 1998 deadline in California, Massachusetts and New York a potential EV (electric vehicle) safety and reliability engineering issue exists. High-voltage, high-frequency transients and related waveforms that are part of powering EV traction motors may damage the insulating materials in wiring harnesses, interfaces, and connectors. A new technique for testing the reliability performance of the thin dielectrics used in such insulation has recrently been realized. The relatively new environment of modern high power electronics contains now stresses of high-voltage, short-duration, high-repetition-rate pulses that are applied to such thin dielectric films. Under voltages above the Paschen minimum, these fast transients result in creating an intense-corona environment, causing premature electrochemical aging of the insulation, followed by premature insulation failure. The test conditions were prompted by the similar environment foreseen for a number of applications and by the particular understanding about the films which is gained. Polypropylene films, 9 micrometers thick, representative of typical wire and connector bulk insulation, were placed between a rod-plane electrode set and subjected to high-voltage pulses until breakdown occurred, for voltages sufficiently elevated that significant corona activity was in evidence. The effect of voltage magnitude and pulse repetition rate on the number of pulses the films were able to survive was recorded. Standard statistical techniques for life-testing were employed, along with several novel modifications developed for this work, in the data analysis. In this study it was found that the voltage dependence followed nearly that seen for intense corona dc and ac voltage applications, while the higher rep-rate permitted a greater pulse life than did lower rep-rates. Conclusions regarding aging rates of insulation systems under intense corona activity will be presented along with recommended engineering practices. aging rates of insulation systems under intense corona activity will be presented along with recommended