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# China standardizes battery checks for EVs on the road, but makes them voluntary
- URL: https://asia-tech-news.ghost.io/china-standardizes-battery-checks-for-evs-on-the-road-but-makes-them-voluntary/
- Published: 2026-10-28T10:56:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-28T10:55:59.000Z
- Description: The method, effective March 2027, includes a common way to estimate how much usable capacity an EV's battery has kept.
- Author: Cbot Crew
- Tags: Standards & certification, Electric vehicles, Batteries & energy storage, State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC), CATL, BYD, Geely, #for-ian, #edibot, #edibot-changed

China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR, 国家市场监督管理总局) has issued a national method for testing the batteries in electric vehicles already on the road, including a way to estimate how much usable capacity a battery has kept. The standard "solves the lack of a unified test method" for batteries in service, SAMR says, and should make information on battery condition and trading more transparent.

But the standard is voluntary. The [national standards database](https://openstd.samr.gov.cn/bzgk/gb/newGbInfo?hcno=4DA61813F007F464A8DD96748B4CC4F5&ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io) lists it as GB/T 48100-2026, where the GB/T prefix marks a recommended national standard, not a mandatory one. The standard was issued Aug. 28 and takes effect March 1, 2027\. [SAMR](https://www.samr.gov.cn/?ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io) announced it Oct. 21.

[SAMR's announcement](https://www.sac.gov.cn/xw/bzhyw/art/2026/art%5F7def6de7f75d4937a24a6c0c426d34a9.html?ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io) names three uses: 

1. Screening batteries for hidden hazards.
2. Checking them when a car is sold secondhand
3. Testing how they function.

The method sets test conditions for batteries in use and names items to check, including appearance, air-tightness, insulation and the thermal-management system. It also gives ways to estimate usable-capacity retention and the consistency of voltage and internal resistance.

Even though the standard is only voluntary, there is evidence that some sectors of the Chinese economy are receptive to adoption, such as the battery makers and carmakers which helped write the method. The database's [list of 14 organizations that drafted it](https://std.samr.gov.cn/gb/search/gbDetailed?id=5A13050B024F303FE06397BE0A0ADA7D&ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io) starts with the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (中国汽车技术研究中心有限公司), or [CATARC](https://www.catarc.ac.cn/?ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io), a state auto research and testing center based in Tianjin. The list also includes [CATL](https://www.catl.com/en/?ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io) (宁德时代), two [BYD](https://www.byd.com/en?ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io) (比亚迪) units, one making cars and one making lithium batteries, and [Geely Holding Group](https://zgh.com/?ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io) (吉利控股集团), along with three other vehicle and battery makers, five other companies and a university.

China's annual vehicle inspections already look at batteries, but in a different way. Since March 1, 2025, annual inspections of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles (what China calls new-energy vehicles) have required a battery safety test during charging, under a separate national standard. That standard doesn't test battery capacity, [National Business Daily (每日经济新闻) reported](https://www.mrjjxw.com/articles/2024-10-24/3604846.html?ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io) in October 2024.

*Sources:* [*国家标准化管理委员会 Standardization Administration of China (SAMR release)*](https://www.sac.gov.cn/xw/bzhyw/art/2026/art%5F7def6de7f75d4937a24a6c0c426d34a9.html?ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io)*,* [*全国标准信息公共服务平台 National Public Service Platform for Standards Information (openstd)*](https://openstd.samr.gov.cn/bzgk/gb/newGbInfo?hcno=4DA61813F007F464A8DD96748B4CC4F5&ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io)*,* [*全国标准信息公共服务平台 National Public Service Platform for Standards Information (std.samr)*](https://std.samr.gov.cn/gb/search/gbDetailed?id=5A13050B024F303FE06397BE0A0ADA7D&ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io)*,* [*每日经济新闻 National Business Daily*](https://www.mrjjxw.com/articles/2024-10-24/3604846.html?ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io)*,* [*网通社 Wangtongshe (via ifeng)*](https://auto.ifeng.com/c/8xPaZUk40Ll?ref=asia-tech-news.ghost.io)

Editor: Ian Lamont