The Ministry of Heavy Industries and Construction announced on the 10th a list of safety inspections that will be mandatory for electric vehicle manufacturers from April 2023.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Proceedings, these tests will improve the human safety of batteries used in these vehicles by requiring verification at three levels: batteries, battery management systems, and cells.
This is a time when many people are asking about the safety standards of electric vehicles sold in India after a series of fires and deaths in electric vehicles sold in India.
“To safeguard human safety, certain tests which are done internationally will be made mandatory from 1 st April 2023 for claiming incentives payouts under the PLI schemes for automobile and auto components, ACC and FAME II scheme being implemented by MHI,” mentioned in the circular.
PLI stands for a government-issued manufacturing-related incentive scheme that promotes local production of high-tech products through designated payments.
The FAME II (Fast Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles) initiative allocates subsidies to electric vehicle buyers to promote the adoption of electric vehicles.
The new provisions include six tests at the cell level, ten tests at the BMS level, and five tests at the battery level. The electric car manufacturers talked about welcoming the new standard because it will help improve the safety of these new vehicles and increase consumer confidence in the long run.
However, one manufacturer noted that the government could consider codifying these safety standards in automobile laws and making them applicable to all automakers, not limited to subsidized companies.
