EV battery regulations likely within a month

The road transport ministry has already sent out the draft standards for consultation to industry stakeholders, one of the two officials mentioned above said on condition of anonymity. The draft is based on the recommendations of a committee set up by the ministry to examine EV batteries following several cases of fire in such vehicles.

“We have published new draft standards. In fact, we are describing what are the minimum functions for battery manufacturing,” said the official.

In June, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) formulated separate performance standards for EV batteries, recommending an ‘IS 17855:2022’ standard for lithium-ion battery packs. The bureau is expected to come up with some more parameters soon. “BIS is doing a part of it; The ministry is thoroughly revamping the standards and testing norms,” ​​the official said.

The draft standards say that the testing agency should check key parameters such as electrical energy consumption, net power and ‘maximum 30 minutes of power’ in electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers.

Following the incidents of EV fire, the Road Ministry constituted two committees- one to look into the testing norms and standards and the other to look into the causes of the fire. Investigations found that many of the batteries had unsecured connected cells and that many did not have venting mechanisms to dissipate heat in the event of overheating.

The investigation found that currently, battery cells are mostly connected in parallel rather than in a ‘series’ pattern, which increases the chances of a fire. Also, there is no venting mechanism in case the battery overheats.

In a ‘series’ arrangement of connecting battery cells, overheating of one cell will not affect the entire battery package, whereas in a ‘parallel’ connection, overheating of one battery cell can affect the entire battery pack and cause fire. Chances of getting hit may increase. The government has asked companies to stop selling and throwing away vehicles with defective batteries.

“Once the final standard is published, all EV manufacturers will have to comply with the standards,” the official said.

Queries sent to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Roads remained unanswered.

Replying to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Heavy Industries Krishan Pal Gurjar said that at present, components for EVs are tested as per the standards specified in ‘Rule 126’ of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, to ensure compliance. To be.

The Aag series raised concerns about the safety of EVs and whether Indian electric two-wheeler manufacturers had marketed their products without adequate quality and safety checks in local conditions. The developments also worried the government, which has ambitious plans for the EV sector and has offered incentives to promote both the production and adoption of such eco-friendly vehicles.

In April, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said the government would issue quality-focused guidelines for electric vehicles.

On 19 August, Mint reported that the Center may impose monetary penalties on electric scooter manufacturers for suspected use of unsafe batteries that lead to fire incidents. The reply to the notice sent by the road transport ministry about a month ago comes after EV manufacturers gave it.

However, as per the information given by the government in Parliament, the demand for electric vehicles has not decreased due to the incidents. The Heavy Industries Minister told the Lok Sabha that most of the incidents took place in March and April in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The Minister of State for Heavy Industries informed the Lok Sabha that Okinawa, Pure EV and Ola Electric recalled 3,215 units, 2,000 units and 1,441 units respectively after the incidents.

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