EV Fires: New testing norms for batteries to come into effect from October 1

The government has amended testing standards for electric vehicle (EV) batteries for additional safety requirements and issued a draft notification for the norms. This comes after multiple incidents of fires on EVs this year.

At least ten incidents of fire on EVs were reported between March and June in different parts of the country following which, the government had set up a high-level committee to review the testing standards and recommend steps to strengthen them.

The committee has now submitted its report on the changes that India's EV testing norms need.

Additional safety requirements have now been put in place for battery cells, battery management system (BMS), onboard charger, battery pack design, and thermal propagation due to internal cell short-circuit which can lead to fires. The new norms will come into effect from October 1, 2022.

The government has also sought suggestions from stakeholders on the draft notification.

CNBC-TV18 had recently reported that the Ministry of Heavy Industries allocated Rs 41-50 crore to Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) to boost its equipment, get more equipment from abroad and improve India's testing standards.

The new standards come as concerns have risen lately over the safety of electric vehicles after the recent fire incidents and as reports suggest defective cells and batteries may have caused them.

However, there is uncertainty within the sector as some industry players feel that the changes could be difficult to implement within the set timeline. They may seek certain clarifications from the ARAI and the government as well.

Sources had earlier told CNBC-TV18 that the Centre was also looking at possibility of making third-party inspection mandatory for surprise audits and checks to ensure cells and battery components submitted for testing are same as those in actual usage.

The probe has revealed lack of proper sorting of cells in EVs which caught fire, the sources had said, who also added that there has been laxity on the part of companies towards ensuring that cells of same voltage are used in a battery pack.