New standards on Electric Vehicles and their batteries

In order to keep pace with the latest technical developments, China has published updated versions of two standards for electric vehicles and batteries. 

The recently updated standards are GB 38031-2020 – Electric Vehicles Traction Battery Safety Requirements and GB 18384-2020 – Electric Vehicles Safety Requirements. 

GB 38031-2020 specifies safety requirements for electric vehicle battery cells, battery packs and battery systems, and replaces the previous standard GB/T 31485-2015 on safety requirements and test methods for traction battery of electric vehicle and GB/T 31467.3-2015 on lithium-ion traction battery pack and system for electric vehicles – Part 3 – safety requirements and test methods. 

Comparing to the outgoing standards, among others, test procedures for overcharge protection applied to battery cells will be revised and some other tests applicable to battery cells and battery modules will be deleted. 

GB 18384-2020 will specify safety requirements for electric road vehicles and replace GB/T 18384.1-2015, GB/T 18384.2-2015 and GB/T 18384.3-2015 on electrically propelled vehicles – safety specifications.  Compared to the standards it will replace, among others test procedures for isolation resistance and water resistance will be revised and new requirements on thermal event warning will be introduced.