The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has extended the implementation of amendments to Electric Vehicle (EV) battery testing standards from October 1, 2022, to December 2022 and March 2023.

The amendments to the EV battery testing standards -Automotive Industry Standards (AIS)-156 and AIS-038 – will now be implemented in two phases. Phase-I will take effect on December 1, 2022,  and Phase II on March 31, 2023.

“For the OEMs to be better equipped to comply/ implement the provisions prescribed under the standards AIS-156 and AIS 038 (Rev 2), MoRTH has decided to implement Amendment 3 of the said AIS, as hosted on Ministry’s website, in two phases,” the ministry said.

The amendment to AIS156 includes requirements for motor vehicles in the L category, i.e., those with less than four wheels and an electric power train.

The second amendment to AIS-038 regulates specific requirements for electric power trains of M category motor vehicles (vehicles with four wheels used to carry passengers) and N category vehicles with four wheels used to carry both goods and passengers.

The ministry said implementing the amendments in the EV battery testing standards has been extended for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to be better equipped to comply with the standards.

Earlier this month, the ministry amended battery safety standards following fires in electric-two wheelers.

The amendments incorporated fulfill additional safety requirements related to battery cells, battery management systems, onboard chargers, the design of battery packs, and thermal propagation caused due to internal cell short circuits that lead to fires in EVs.

In June, the Bureau of Indian Standards issued performance standards for EV batteries to ensure the safety of riders and users. It drafted the standard ‘IS 17855: 2022’ for lithium-ion traction battery packs and systems of electrically propelled road vehicles in line with ‘ISO 12405-4: 2018’.

In April, Minister of Road Transport Nitin Gadkari warned that any EV  company found to be negligent in its production processes will face heavy penalties, and a recall of all defective e-vehicles would be ordered.