India to make electric vehicle testing mandatory from 2023

On 2 November 2022, The Ministry of Heavy Industries of India issued a notice regarding vehicle test criteria to ensure enhanced human safety. 

According to the notice the manufacturers claiming governmental fiscal incentives under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme and Faster Adoption Manufacture of Electric (FAME) II for vehicles need mandatory testing. 

The new tests will also apply to batteries produced under the PLI for Advanced Chemistry Cells (ACC). The ministry also stated that the new test would ensure the quality of the battery at three levels: the battery pack, battery management system, and cell levels. 

The Ministry through the notification introduced certain tests which are performed internationally and will be made mandatory from 1 April 2023. 

The notification has specified six new tests for the cells, which include an altitude simulation test to observe that the batteries do not explode or catch fire when stored at a specified absolute pressure and temperature as well as a temperature cycling test to observe the reaction of the lithium-ion cell after the chamber temperature is raised and is kept at the high temperature. 

In addition, there are five more new tests in total for the battery pack level and 11 new tests for the battery management system.