BIS Unveils Two New Standards To Enhance Safety Of EVs In India

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has introduced two new standards to enhance the safety and quality of electric vehicles (EVs) in India. 

Called IS 18590: 2024 and IS 18606: 2024, the two new standards pertain to L, M and N categories of electric vehicles. It is pertinent to note that while L category relates to two-wheelers, M and N categories correspond to four-wheelers and good trucks respectively. 

In an official statement, authorities said that the new standards mandate stringent safety and performance requirements for powertrains and batteries. 

“The BIS has introduced two new standards, IS 18590: 2024 and IS 18606: 2024, aimed at enhancing the safety of EVs in the L, M, and N categories. These standards focus on the critical component of electric vehicles—the powertrain—ensuring it meets stringent safety requirements. Additionally, they emphasize the safety and performance of batteries, ensuring they are both powerful and secure,” added BIS.

With this, India now boasts 30 local standards dedicated to electric vehicles and their accessories, including charging systems. 

For the uninitiated, IS 18590: 2024 mandates stringent safety protocols for powertrains of EVs, which are a critical element of any electric vehicle and covers components such as the motor, battery pack, and transmission system. This will enable BIS to mitigate risks related to EV operation and maintenance. 

On the other hand, IS 18606: 2024 sets benchmarks for battery durability, thermal management, and safety features. This, in turn, is expected to increase the safety and reliability of electric vehicles plying on Indian roads. 

The new mandates come as temperatures hit scorching highs in Northern India. In the past two years, summers have coincided with a spurt in incidents related to EV fires. 

In April this year, a Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) electric bus caught fire but no casualties were reported. 

In March, a shocking video emerged online which featured at least four Ather Energy escooters engulfed in flames inside a transport truck. Multiple such incidents have also been reported online so far but questions remain over their veracity. 

In the past too, a spate of such fire incidents grabbed headlines across the country and included major EV players such as Ola Electric, Okinawa Autotech, and Pure EV, and even legacy brands like Tata.

As a result, many users and critics have raised questions over the safety of such vehicles and have sought government intervention in reining these incidents. Such was the clamour that the CTO of Dutch semiconductor design company NXP, Lars Reger, said that the use of “cheap” laptop chips in battery management systems (BMS) of EVs was responsible for such fire incidents.

Meanwhile, the Centre has cracked the whip on such incidents and has instituted multiple probes to investigate the matter. Last month, authorities also reportedly ordered an investigation into a fire incident involving a Tata Motors electric vehicle. 

Despite the issues, EVs continue to see rapid adoption in the country, primarily in the two-wheeler space. As per data from the VAHAN portal, EV sales stood at 1.23 Lakh in May 2024, up 8.8% sequentially from April’s 1.12 Lakh units.

Additionally, the Ministry of Heavy Industries, in April, also allocated INR 500 Cr for the new Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme 2024 till July 2024 to promote EV sales in the country.