By hannover-web.com The rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) in China’s automotive market has transitioned them from “niche products” to “popular models.” It is now a widely accepted notion that “there are more and more electric vehicles on the road.”
According to data released by the Ministry of Public Security, the number of electric vehicles in China reached 24.72 million in the first half of this year, accounting for 7.18% of the total vehicle population. Among these, pure electric vehicles make up 73.35%, totaling about 18.13 million units.
Despite this growth, incidents of spontaneous combustion in electric vehicles have raised concerns regarding their safety and reliability. According to Chinese regulations, electric vehicles, classified as motor vehicles, must undergo annual inspections in accordance with the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China. For some time, both electric and fuel-powered vehicles have followed the same inspection policies.
Zhang Xiang, a researcher at the Automotive Industry Innovation Research Center at Beifang University of Nationalities, highlights that in contrast to traditional fuel vehicles, electric vehicles introduce a three-electric system (battery, motor, and electronic control). Currently, there are no unified standards for testing these critical components, and the related detection equipment is still in development.
“Moreover, electric vehicles have a higher rate of accidents and claims,” Zhang noted in an interview. He pointed out that there is a strong demand within the industry for regular inspections of the three-electric systems in existing electric vehicles. Therefore, it is urgent to establish and implement safety performance testing standards specifically for electric vehicles.
The era of combined inspections for fuel and electric vehicles is coming to an end. Recently, the national standard “Inspection Procedures for the Operational Safety Performance of Electric Vehicles” was officially released, set to take effect on March 1, 2025. This regulation outlines the procedures, items, and requirements for inspecting electric vehicles, applicable to pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, with other types of EVs encouraged to follow these guidelines.
Upon reviewing the new inspection procedures, it is evident that they are built on existing standards for vehicle inspections, but they also add specific tests for the safety performance of electric vehicle components such as power batteries, drive motors, and electrical safety systems, offering more detailed guidelines for the inspection environment and results.
“Including the three-electric systems in annual inspections ensures the safe use of electric vehicles and allows owners to have a clearer understanding of their vehicle’s condition,” Zhang explained. The release of these inspection procedures provides a tailored “health check plan” for electric vehicles, marking a significant step toward the maturity and standardization of the electric vehicle industry in China.
For electric vehicle owners, this new inspection regulation is undoubtedly a positive development. Under more stringent and professional testing, any potential safety issues will be more likely to be identified, further protecting the safety of drivers and others on the road.
“Once the new inspection standards are implemented next year, I plan to have my vehicle inspected immediately,” said Wu Qing, a resident of Beijing and an electric vehicle owner. “I want a clearer understanding of my car’s basic safety condition so that I can drive with peace of mind.”
However, some electric vehicle owners express concerns that their cars may not pass the new standards due to various potential issues. For instance, ride-hailing drivers have reported that their vehicles operate at a higher charge and discharge frequency than personal cars, which poses challenges to battery lifecycle and performance.
Li, a ride-hailing driver in Harbin, shared his concerns with us. “I have to charge my electric vehicle at least once a day to meet operational demands. Such intensive usage makes me anxious about the new inspection. If the battery performance declines too much and my vehicle fails the inspection, it would greatly affect my work.”
When investigating the inspection procedures, it was found that there are no specific provisions concerning battery capacity density within the safety performance testing projects. Only “battery safety” and “electrical safety” are mandatory tests. The battery safety category includes three sub-projects: “charging,” “discharging,” and “battery capacity retention.” Therefore, the focus of the new inspections does not center on “battery capacity density.”
“Compared to issues like battery capacity density, the safety of electric vehicle batteries is of utmost importance,” emphasized Ouyang Minggao, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He pointed out that “thermal runaway” is the main cause of spontaneous combustion in electric vehicles. If the battery temperature rises uncontrollably due to various factors, flames and high temperatures can quickly spread within the battery pack, ultimately leading to a vehicle fire.
As of June this year, there have been 387 recalls of electric vehicles in China, affecting approximately 7.017 million vehicles. Of these recalls, 65 were attributed to risks of fire due to battery issues, impacting 440,000 vehicles. Additionally, data analysis shows that vehicles recalled due to “thermal runaway defects in power batteries” make up 3% of the total recalls for this type of automobile.
The new inspection procedures also set temperature limits for models equipped with lithium iron phosphate and ternary lithium batteries, with maximum charging temperatures not to exceed 65°C and 60°C, respectively. These values align with the reasonable operational temperature ranges for power batteries and are below the critical temperatures for thermal runaway.
Furthermore, the inspection procedures list safety checks for drive motor safety (motor temperature, controller temperature) and electronic control system safety as optional tests. Zhang believes this will not only assist vehicle owners in gaining a better understanding of their vehicle status, but will also provide new inspection directions for testing enterprises, encouraging them to invest in the necessary testing equipment and improve their capabilities and service levels.
The release of the “Inspection Procedures” has generated considerable interest in the automotive inspection industry, with many companies already preparing for this market change. Notably, 24 test sites operated by Doulin Technology have been designated as pilot units for the national safety inspection of electric vehicles. In the field of electric vehicle inspection equipment development and production, Nanhua Instruments is also making proactive investments.
As the electric vehicle market and industry continue to develop, insurance for electric vehicles plays a critical role in protecting user rights, reducing consumer hesitance, and promoting widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
Nonetheless, some electric vehicle owners have reported that their insurance premiums are significantly higher than those for traditional fuel vehicles, with some experiencing substantial increases even without any claims. Additionally, a few electric vehicle manufacturers facing operational difficulties have led to skyrocketing prices for parts, resulting in some insurance companies refusing coverage.
“I bought an electric vehicle to reduce travel costs, but now the money I saved on fuel is spent on insurance premiums,” Wu Qing commented. Data from the China Banking and Insurance Information Technology Management Co., Ltd. indicates that the average insurance premium for electric vehicles is about 21% higher than that for fuel vehicles. Furthermore, the claim rate for electric vehicle insurance is nearly 85%.
The rising complaints regarding insurance premiums have caught the attention of regulatory authorities. On September 11, the State Council released a statement emphasizing the need to focus on commercial insurance for electric vehicles and to deepen comprehensive reforms in auto insurance.
Pan Helin, a member of the Information and Communication Economic Expert Committee of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, believes the implementation of the “Inspection Procedures” could help alleviate these conflicts. He noted that the new standards could lead to reduced insurance premiums for electric vehicles while also providing insurance companies with more stable and reasonable returns, thus addressing significant losses in their electric vehicle insurance business.
“Based on the inspection requirements of the new procedures, insurance companies can design customized insurance products that target the unique risks associated with electric vehicles. For example, they can launch insurance specific to power batteries and drive motors to better meet the protective needs of owners,” Pan explained. With declining manufacturing costs and improved repair technologies, electric vehicle insurance premiums may gradually become more reasonable.
In addition to improvements in the insurance sector, the new inspection regulations will also positively impact the second-hand electric vehicle market. A staff member responsible for second-hand vehicle inspections at Dongchedi shared that previously, accurately assessing the wear and tear of critical components in second-hand electric vehicles posed significant challenges, leading to issues like low resale value and difficulty in assessing vehicle conditions.
“However, with the upcoming implementation of the new inspection system and enhanced testing technologies, these challenges will be effectively addressed, thus promoting healthy growth in the second-hand electric vehicle market,” the staff member said.
It’s important to note that the “Inspection Procedures” also impose several requirements on automotive manufacturers. They must strengthen research and testing on critical components of electric vehicles to ensure their products meet the new inspection standards and requirements. Additionally, manufacturers must exercise stricter control over their entire production processes.
“The new inspection regulations will lead many electric vehicles into maintenance phases, posing challenges to manufacturers’ after-sales service networks. They need to establish more robust maintenance and service systems to effectively handle the anticipated surge in electric vehicle maintenance needs,” Zhang cautioned.
Reported by Wang Zhiyuan, China Youth Daily.
