On April 25, 2024, the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) approved the implementation of GB 43854-2024 Safety technical specification of lithium-ion battery for electric bicycle (hereinafter referred to as “GB 43854”)
The application scope of GB 43584 is the lithium-ion battery as defined in the GB 17761-2018 Safety technical specification for electric bicycle, namely: lithium-ion batteries for electric bicycles with maximum output voltage not exceeding 60V. It is not applicable to lithium-ion batteries used by electric scooters, balance vehicles, electric motorcycles, electric tricycles and other vehicles.
China is estimated to have more than 350 million units of electric bicycles owned by the population, raising a significant challenge for public safety due to the risks that lithium-ion batteries bring. In this context, the goal of GB 43854 is to standardize the design, production and sales of lithium-ion batteries for electric bicycles, with the aim of improving product quality and safety. It does so by specifying the safety requirements and test methods for both cells and batteries used on electric bicycles within its scope, specifically:
- The safety requirements on cells include 6 items: overcharge, over discharge, external short circuit, heat abuse, acupuncture and mark.
- For batteries, 22 safety requirements are stipulated, covering 7 aspects, including: electrical safety, mechanical safety, environmental safety, thermal diffusion, mutual recognition cooperative charging, data acquisition, and marking.
This mandatory standard will come into force on November 1, 2024, providing a half-year transition period for stakeholders. For the next step, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) will organize seminars and technical trainings for manufacturers and distributors, guiding all stakeholders to fully implement the requirements of the standard. Foreign stakeholder should also note that GB 43854 is a newly-drafted standard, without international adoption.
