New National Standard for Power Batteries Promises Safer and Greener Electric Vehicle Travel

Wang Qian: The introduction of the “most stringent” new national standard for power battery safety is a significant milestone for the development of the electric vehicle industry in China. The mandatory national standard titled “Safety Requirements for Power Batteries for Electric Vehicles (GB 38031—2025)” is set to profoundly impact the industry’s supply chain and accelerate technological innovation, optimize market competition, and enhance the industrial ecosystem. This will provide consumers with safer, greener, and smarter travel options, promote high-quality development of the new energy vehicle industry, and strengthen China’s leading position in global competition.

The rapid growth of new energy vehicles (NEVs) calls for the advancement of safety standards from version 1.0 to 2.0. The Chinese NEV industry is currently experiencing unprecedented growth. The “Ten Cities, Thousand Vehicles” initiative launched in 2009 marked a new chapter in the development of the NEV sector. By 2018, annual production and sales exceeded one million vehicles, taking nearly a decade to achieve. In 2022, this number surpassed five million in just about four years, and by 2024, production is expected to exceed ten million for the first time, a milestone reached in approximately two years. According to the Ministry of Public Security, by the end of 2024, the total number of NEVs in China is projected to reach 31.4 million, accounting for 8.9% of total vehicles. In 2024 alone, 11.25 million new NEVs were registered, representing 41.83% of all new registrations, showcasing a rapid growth trend.

Simultaneously, the application of intelligent technologies in the NEV sector is advancing swiftly. Major automakers are integrating large language models into their vehicles, while high-level intelligent driving assistance systems are being mass-produced. Breakthroughs in domestic high-performance computing chips, millimeter-wave radar, and central computing platforms are being realized, and applications for smart cabins and intelligent driving have reached internationally advanced levels. According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the penetration rate of new cars with L2-level or above intelligent driving assistance in the first half of 2024 was 55.7%, with an expected increase to 65% in 2025. However, the rapidly growing market and swiftly evolving technologies necessitate safer standards.

As the number of NEVs skyrockets, safety issues related to electric vehicles have become more pronounced. Lithium-ion batteries are especially prone to thermal runaway under conditions of high temperature, overcharging, or collisions. Industry data indicates that, on average, eight NEVs catch fire daily (including spontaneous combustion) in the first quarter of 2023. In 2024, over 290,000 NEVs were recalled due to battery issues, accounting for 7% of total recalls for the year. Several incidents of renowned electric vehicle brands catching fire in accidents have heightened public concern about battery ignition problems. Frequent thermal runaway incidents pose serious threats to public safety, undermine consumer confidence, and hinder the sustainable development of the industry.

The new national standard for power battery safety elevates safety regulation to a level of “proactive defense to ensure safety.” In response to these challenges, relevant authorities began revising the standard in September 2021, formally issuing the “Safety Requirements for Power Batteries for Electric Vehicles (GB 38031—2025)” on April 15, 2025, with mandatory implementation scheduled for July 1, 2026. This revision signifies a shift in China’s power battery safety regulation from “passive response” to “proactive defense,” setting a global benchmark for technological safety.

The new standard establishes robust safety baselines for NEVs with goals such as “no fire, no explosion.” It introduces new testing protocols, including bottom-impact tests and safety assessments after fast-charging cycles, enhancing safety requirements related to thermal diffusion. These measures aim to reduce the likelihood of self-ignition at the design stage, thereby protecting consumer safety. The 2025 version encompasses seven individual tests and 17 battery pack or system tests, enhancing and supplementing numerous critical technical requirements compared to the 2020 version, with the new objective of “no fire, no explosion.” The thermal diffusion requirement has been elevated from “providing a thermal event alarm signal five minutes before fire or explosion” to “no fire, no explosion (still requires alarm), and smoke must not harm occupants.” By simulating internal short circuits and strictly controlling smoke toxicity, the risk for occupants during evacuation has been significantly reduced. This shift reflects a fundamental change in safety philosophy from “securing escape time after an incident” to “preventing catastrophic consequences from the design stage.”

Additional testing for bottom impacts has been incorporated, requiring battery packs to withstand impacts from a 30mm diameter steel ball with 150 joules of energy without leakage, casing rupture, fire, or explosion, while maintaining insulation resistance standards. Simulated tests for bottom impacts in complex driving conditions have filled gaps in evaluating battery bottom protection capabilities, significantly enhancing the actual safety of electric vehicles.

The new standard also introduces safety assessments following multiple fast charging cycles, requiring batteries to pass external short circuit tests after 300 fast charging cycles without catching fire or exploding, ensuring safety redundancy under the widespread adoption of fast charging technology. As fast charging becomes common, the safety concerns of batteries during frequent fast charging have gained attention, and this test aims to evaluate the safety performance of batteries after long-term, high-frequency fast charging.

The new standards will accelerate the high-quality development of the NEV industry. First, power battery manufacturers will face pressure to optimize costs, prompting increased investment in battery materials and new battery technologies. The new standards will drive companies to enhance research and development, optimize cell materials and structural designs, and improve thermal management system performance. However, compliance with the new standards will require the use of high-performance raw materials and components, leading to increased procurement costs. Additionally, the introduction of new production equipment and processes, along with strengthened quality control and testing, will further raise costs. This cost increase may squeeze profit margins, compelling companies to alleviate pressure through improved supply chain management and production efficiency or to pass some costs to downstream vehicle manufacturers.

The industry entry barriers will rise, reshaping market competition. The new standards will elevate the threshold for industry entry, putting pressure on companies with substandard technology to exit the market. Market resources will concentrate on more competitive firms, with leading companies consolidating their market positions through strong research and development capabilities, technology, capital, and brand advantages. Smaller companies with limited resources and funding may face significant survival pressure due to increased technological research and development costs, leading to potential market exit or acquisition by larger firms.

The development of new battery technologies, such as solid-state batteries and hydrogen fuel cells, will accelerate. Solid-state batteries, which utilize solid electrolytes, offer higher energy density and better thermal stability and safety, positioning them as a critical technological direction for addressing power battery safety issues. Many companies and research institutions are increasing their investment in solid-state battery research, with some achieving stage breakthroughs expected to lead to commercial applications in the coming years. Hydrogen fuel cells, with zero emissions and short refueling times, are expected to gradually expand their market share as technology advances and costs decrease.

Battery materials and structures will see accelerated innovation. New cathode materials such as high-nickel ternary materials and lithium manganese iron phosphate, as well as silicon-based anode materials, will continuously optimize their applications to enhance battery energy density and safety. Advancements in new electrolyte and separator materials, such as flame-retardant electrolytes and high-strength separators, will enhance the thermal stability and short-circuit resistance of batteries. In terms of battery structural design, technologies like CTP (Cell to Pack), CTC (Cell to Chassis), and CTB (Cell To Body) will further optimize and reduce the number of battery pack components, improving system integration and spatial utilization, thereby boosting battery safety and performance.

Electric vehicle manufacturers will place greater emphasis on energy management systems, thermal management technologies, and safety performance improvements. They will implement rigorous supplier access and validation standards to ensure compliance throughout the supply chain. Automakers will strictly select and assess battery suppliers based on compliance with the new standards, potentially deepening collaboration with suppliers by participating in early-stage research and design to optimize battery system compatibility with vehicles, thus ensuring overall vehicle safety and performance. Continuous monitoring and validation of products from existing suppliers will also be crucial to ensure compliance with the new standards during production. Additionally, after-sales markets will need to be managed, including enhanced user training and after-sales service for vehicle owners to promptly address safety concerns regarding battery systems.

Intelligent battery management systems (BMS) will undergo accelerated upgrades. In the future, BMS will evolve towards greater intelligence and precision, utilizing advanced sensor technologies, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence algorithms to achieve real-time monitoring, precise forecasting, and intelligent control of battery status. For instance, BMS can dynamically adjust charging strategies based on battery usage and environmental conditions to prevent overcharging and over-discharging, providing timely alerts and protections during battery anomalies to reduce the risk of thermal runaway and other safety incidents. Furthermore, continually improving thermal management technologies for new energy vehicles will not only enhance energy efficiency but also extend driving range and battery lifespan, effectively preventing thermal runaway.

Manufacturers will need to adjust product research and development and market strategies accordingly. They may need to upgrade existing vehicle technologies or redesign models to meet the new standards or launch new models with differentiated competitive advantages tailored to the new requirements. Additionally, companies must adjust their marketing strategies to emphasize product safety, enhancing consumer confidence in electric vehicles.

The testing and certification service industry is poised for a new wave of growth driven by increased demand for testing. The new standards introduce additional testing requirements such as bottom-impact tests and safety assessments after fast-charging cycles. Battery manufacturers and automakers will need extensive testing services to ensure compliance with the new standards, providing significant market opportunities for third-party testing institutions. Service standards will also need to be upgraded in accordance with the new requirements. Testing agencies will have to establish stricter testing protocols and quality control systems to ensure accurate and reliable results.

The introduction of the new national standard will enhance consumer confidence. The new regulations will significantly improve the safety of electric vehicle batteries, helping to reduce accident rates and minimize safety risks associated with electric vehicle usage. This new standard also signals to consumers that the electric vehicle industry prioritizes safety, which will bolster consumer recognition and confidence in electric vehicle safety.

The market scale is expected to continue expanding. While rising production costs may lead to higher electric vehicle prices, potentially affecting short-term demand, long-term technological advancements and economies of scale are expected to drive costs down. Moreover, models that meet the new standards may enjoy premium discounts of 15% to 20%, lowering ownership costs. Lifetime battery warranty clauses may also eliminate exclusions for “thermal runaway,” providing consumers with more comprehensive after-sales protection. As consumers gain greater confidence in electric vehicle safety, the demand for purchases will inevitably increase. Under favorable policies for carbon neutrality, the electric vehicle market is poised for continued growth, with market share likely to rise further. Additionally, with increasing international demand for electric vehicles, China’s market is expected to achieve significant breakthroughs globally.

The industrial ecosystem will gradually improve. Implementing the new standards will promote collaborative innovation and cooperation among upstream and downstream enterprises in the electric vehicle industry chain, enhancing the overall ecosystem. In the future, battery manufacturers, vehicle manufacturers, component suppliers, testing and certification agencies, and research institutions will strengthen cooperation to form tighter industrial alliances. Moreover, the after-sales service and battery recycling industries will gradually improve, creating a more complete industrial ecosystem.