New Delhi, Sep 1 : The Centre has suggested additional safety standards in the current battery safety standard with effective from October 1 with the amendments incorporating additional safety requirements for batteries, battery management systems (BMS) as well as on-board chargers and design of battery packs thermal propagation caused by short circuits within the cell that can lead to fire, etc.Following the recommendation of an expert committee report The Ministry of Road Transport and Highway on August 29 issued an amendment 2 to AIS 156 Specific requirements for motor vehicles of L category (motor vehicles with less than four wheels and quadricycles) with electric power train.It also issued an amendment 2 to the AIS 038 Rev.2.Specific requirements for Electric Power Train of motor vehicles of M category (motor vehicle with at least four wheels for transporting passengers) and N category (motor vehicle with at minimum four wheels that are used to transport goods that could also transport persons in combination with the items).
In light of the number of incidents of fire incidents that were observed in electric two-wheelers in various parts of the country The Ministry had established an Expert Committee which was headed by Tata Narsingh Rao (Director, ARC, Hyderabad) along with other members, to recommend additional safety standards in the current battery safety standards as notified in CMV Rules.
The notification to mandate the amended AIS 1556 and AIS 038 Rev 2 standards for the two classes of electric vehicles with effective from the 1st of October is in the process of being completed.
The Ministry also released an draft notification GSR 659 (E) on August 25 to amend Sub-rule 4.of Rule 124 of Central Motor Vehicles Rule (CMVR) 1989, which mandates compliance of production (COP) for the traction batteries employed in electric powertrain vehicles.This regulation will become effective with starting on October 1.Comments and suggestions have been sought from all parties within a timeframe of thirty days.
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