ESPEC Technical Information

Technical Report
Comparison of GB and International Standards for
Electric vehicle secondary batteries
Cells and Modules (Part 1)

Hitoshi Abe, Takashi Kajihara, and Yang Hao, Test Consulting Department, ESPEC CORP.

Abstract
In Test Navi Report No. 121, we introduced the Standards System and Conformity Assessment
System in China. Based on the information in that publication, this report focuses on six GB
standards promulgated in 2015 for in-vehicle secondary batteries by using the operational status
and typical cases of China’s secondary battery conformity assessment system to explain the scope
of related GB standards, the inspection items, the test methods, and the criteria. This report also
compares these GB standards with IEC 62660 series standards and ISO 12405 series standards
and explains the common points and differences with the international standards by using concrete
examples. This report is the first part of a two-part series. (Table 1)

Cells and Modules (Part 1)

1. Overview of Latest GB Standards for Electric Vehicle Secondary Batteries
2. Comparison of GB Standards and IEC 62660 Series Standards for Cells and Modules
3. Summary
Packs and Systems (Part 2)
1. Comparison of GB Standards and ISO 12405 Series Standards for Packs and Systems
2. Latest Trends in GB Standards for Electric Vehicle Secondary Batteries
3. Conclusion
Table 1 — GB and International Standards for Electric Vehicle Secondary Batteries
Standard number Standard name

GB/T 31484 Cycle life requirements and test methods for traction battery of electric vehicle

GB/T 31485 Safety requirements and test methods for traction battery of electric vehicle

GB/T 31486 Electrical performance requirements and test methods for traction battery of electric vehicle
Lithium-ion traction battery pack and system for electric vehicles — Part 1: Test specification for high
GB/T 31467.1 power applications
GB/T 31467.2 Lithium-ion traction battery pack and system for electric vehicles — Part 2: Test specification for high
energy applications
GB/T 31467.3 Lithium-ion traction battery pack and system for electric vehicles — Part 3: Safety requirements and test
methods
IEC 62660-1 Secondary lithium-ion cells for the propulsion of electric road vehicles - Part 1: Performance testing

IEC 62660-2 Secondary lithium-ion cells for the propulsion of electric road vehicles - Part 2: Reliability and abuse
testing
IEC 62660-3 Secondary lithium-ion cells for the propulsion of electric road vehicles - Part 3: Safety requirements

ISO 12405-1 Electrically propelled road vehicles — Test specification for lithium-ion traction battery packs and
systems — Part 1: High-power applications
ISO 12405-2 Electrically propelled road vehicles — Test specification for lithium-ion traction battery packs and
systems — Part 2: High-energy applications
ISO 12405-3 Electrically propelled road vehicles — Test specification for lithium-ion traction battery packs and
systems — Part 3: Safety performance requirements

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1. Overview of Latest GB Standards for Electric Vehicle Secondary Batteries

1.1 GB Standards System Development
To address the issues of air pollution and excessive dependence on imported oil, the Chinese
government has been focusing on developing new energy vehicles (NEVs) since 2012. In line with
this goal, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the
People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) and the Standardization Administration of the People’s
Republic of China (SAC) began enforcing six technology-related GB/T standards (Table 2) in May
2015. These standards set forth test methods and requirements for secondary batteries—the core
component of electric vehicles—regarding electrical performance, life, and safety, and covered
cells, modules, packs, and systems. In terms of institutional regulations, the Ministry of Industry
and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China (MIIT) formulated the “Normative
Conditions for the Lithium-Ion Battery Industry” (hereinafter the “Normative Conditions”) in March
2015. These conditions were accompanied by preferential systems including subsidies and tax
cuts for whitelist-registered companies. The goal was believed to reorganize the industry while
also clarifying secondary battery market standards through management and regulation.
The standards system for the latest electric vehicle secondary battery. GB standards is roughly
classified into two types according to the test target (Table 2). For cells and modules, standards
GB/T 31484, GB/T 31485, and GB/T 31486 were formulated with reference to the Chinese
automobile industry standard QC/T 743-2006 (Lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles). These
standards were issued in 2015 and officially implemented in 2016 after a one-year transition period.
For packs, standards GB/T 31467.1, GB/T 31467.2, and GB/T 31467.3 were formulated based on
the ISO 12405 series international standards with consideration for the usage status in China.
These standards were officially implemented in 2015. Then, in July 2017, vibration (7.1) and crush
(7.6) tests were added to GB/T 31467.3 based on actual application conditions. These updates
were based on input from battery manufacturers and designated certification testing organizations.

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Table 2 — GB Standards System for Electric Vehicle Secondary Battery

Battery type Lithium, nickel hydrogen, etc.
Referenced
QC/T 743-2006
standard
Standard number GB/T 31484-2015 GB/T 31485-2015 GB/T 31486-2015
Requirements Cycle life Safety Electrical performance
Vehicle type BEV, HEV, PHEV xEV BEV, HEV
Targets Cells, modules, systems Cells, modules Cells, modules
6.1 Test conditions
6.2.1 Appearance / 6.3.1 Appearance
6.1 Test conditions 6.2.2 Polarity / 6.3.2 Polarity
6.2.2 Over-discharging test / 6.3.2 Over- 6.2.3 External dimensions and mass / 6.3.3
6.1 Test conditions discharging test External dimensions and mass
6.2 Capacity and energy under room 6.2.3 Over-charging test / 6.3.3 Over- 6.2.4 Secondary cell charging / 6.3.4
Test methods temperature charging test Battery module charging
6.3 Power under room temperature 6.2.4 Short-circuit test / 6.3.4 Short-circuit 6.2.5 Discharge capacity under room
No underline: 6.4 Standard cycle life test temperature / 6.3.5 Discharge capacity
Electrical
6.5 Operating-condition cycle life 6.2.5 Free Fall/6.2.5 Free Fall under room temperature
performance and
6.5.1 High power traction battery used for 6.2.6 Heating test / 6.3.6 Heating test 6.3.6 C-Rate discharge performance under
general
hybrid electric passenger vehicle 6.2.7 Crushing test / 6.3.7 Crushing test room temperature
requirements
6.5.2 High power traction battery used for 6.2.8 Nail penetration test / 6.3.8 Nail 6.3.7 C-Rate charge performance under
Underline: Safety
requirements hybrid electric commercial vehicle penetration test room temperature
Double underline: 6.5.3 High energy traction battery used for 6.2.9 Sea water immersion test / 6.3.9 Sea 6.3.8 Discharge capacity under low
Life requirements electric passenger vehicle water immersion test temperature
6.5.4 High energy traction battery used for 6.2.10 Temperature cycling test / 6.3.10 6.3.9 Discharge capacity under high
electric commercial vehicle Temperature cycling test temperature
6.2.11 Low atmospheric pressure test / 6.3.10 Charge retention and capacity
6.3.11 Low atmospheric pressure test recovery abilities
6.3.11 Vibration
6.3.12 Storage

Battery type Lithium

Referenced
ISO 12405
standard
Standard number GB/T 31467. 1-2015 GB/T 31467. 2-2015 GB/T 31467. 3-2015
Requirements Electrical performance and life Electrical performance and life Safety
Vehicle type HEV, FCV BEV, PHEV xEV
Targets Packs, systems
7.1 Capacity and energy 7.1 Capacity and energy 7.1 Vibration
7.1.1 General conditions 7.1.1 General conditions 7.2 Mechanical shock
7.1.2 Capacity and energy test at room 7.1.2 Capacity and energy test at room 7.3 Falling
Test methods temperature temperature 7.4 Rotation
7.1.3 Capacity and energy test at high 7.1.3 Capacity and energy test at high 7.5 Simulated vehicle crash
No underline: temperature temperature 7.6 Crush
Electrical
7.1.4 Capacity and energy test at low 7.1.4 Capacity and energy test at low 7.7 Temperature change
performance and
temperature temperature 7.8 Thermal shock cycling
general
7.2 Power and internal resistance 7.2 Power and internal resistance 7.9 Seawater immersion
requirements
7.3 No-load SOC loss 7.3 No-load SOC loss 7.10 Exposure to fire
Underline: Safety
requirements 7.3.1 Room temperature 7.3.1 Room temperature 7.11 Salt mist
Double underline: 7.3.2 40°C 7.3.2 40°C 7.12 High altitude
Life requirements 7.4 SOC loss at storage 7.4 SOC loss at storage 7.13 Over-temperature protection
7.5 High and low-temperature start-up power 7.5 Energy efficiency 7.14 Short circuit protection
7.6 Energy efficiency 7.15 Over-charge protection
7.16 Over-discharge protection
*Items in red were revised in July 2017.

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1.2 GB Standards System Operation

In terms of conformity assessment and inspection for secondary batteries, China’s policy is to
use regulations to develop its own industry during the market introduction period for new energy
vehicles (NEVs). Following the implementation of the Normative Conditions mentioned above, 57
registered companies have been promulgated four times, helping to standardize production
management and expansion of the market share of Chinese battery companies. However, the
Normative Conditions system was abolished in June 2019 for operational purposes in response to
requests from overseas manufacturers and policies. Instead, the “New Energy Vehicle (NEV)
Manufacturing Companies and Product Introduction Management Regulations” (hereinafter
“Management Regulations”) were introduced to unify the management of regulations. This
deregulation has led to overseas manufacturers entering the new energy vehicle market in China,
a market with growing potential.
The Management Regulations establish the regulations for the Chinese conformity assessment
system for new energy vehicles (NEVs) described in Test Navi No. 121, the business examination
criteria for applying for a license to sell new energy vehicle (NEV) products, the inspection items
for product certification and compliance standards, the technical requirements for products, and
other requirements. The standards used for comparison in this report—GB/T 31484, GB/T 31485,
GB/T 31486, and GB/T 31467.3—are set as mandatory certification standards and must be
implemented for selling/exporting electric vehicle secondary batteries to the Chinese market. In
addition, GB/T 31467.1 and GB/T 31467.2 are positioned as test regulations that provide specific
inspection/measurement guidelines for secondary battery products to manufacturers of packs and
systems.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s
Republic of China (AQSIQ) is the agency with superiority over the Ministry of Industry and
Information Technology of the People's Republic of China (MIIT)—the department responsible for
formulating industrial policies such as the Normative Conditions and Management Regulations—
as well as the Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC) and the
Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA),
introduced in Test Navi No. 121 1. This central government agency has the greatest impact on the
inspection and certification of new energy vehicles in China. With the rapid changes in the market
for new energy vehicles, being able to collect and analyze information related to the notifications,
regulations, and public notices promulgated by these government agencies regularly is important
for understanding trends in both technology and regulations.

1
For more information, refer to Test Navi No. 121, “The Standards System and Conformity
Assessment System in China”.
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Fig. 1 — Certification Standards for Electric Vehicle Secondary Battery Products (Shaded in
Green)

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2. Comparison of GB Standards and IEC 62660 Series Standards for Cells and Modules
2.1 Overview of Comparison
Table 3 shows an overview of the comparison between GB standards and IEC standards for
electric vehicle secondary battery cells and modules.

Table 3 — Overview of Comparison between GB Standards and IEC Standards for Electric
Vehicle Secondary Battery Cells and Modules
Item GB/T 31484, 31485, 31486 IEC 62660-1, -2, -3
Formulated based on the Chinese
Formulated based on Japan's
automobile industry standard QC/T
strong proposal for cell
Referenced 743 and intended to verify
manufacturing, and support
standards performance, life, and safety in
Overview various pack designs. Intended to
Test targets terms of transportation and use.
verify performance, life, and safety
Main features Applicable to all batteries with
in terms of development and
coverage for cells, modules, and
manufacturing.
systems at the product level.
Charge Discharge current: 1/3 It (BEV),
Discharge current: 1 It
preparation 1 It (HEV)
Capacity Test temperature: 25°C,
Test temperature: 0°C, 25°C, 45°C
measurement Number of cycles: 5
General BEV: Inl (A) = (100 - n) / 100 × 3 h,
SOC Inl (A) = (100 - n) / 100 × 1 h, n =
conditions HEV: Inl (A) = (100 - n) / 100 × 1 h,
adjustment SOC (%)
n = SOC (%)
Test temperature: -20°C, 0°C,
Power Test temperature: 25°C,
25°C, 40°C,
measurement SOC adjustment: 50%
SOC adjustment: 20%, 50%, 80%
Discharge Test temperature: -20°C, 25°C, Test temperature: -20°C, 25°C,
capacity 55°C (Single-cycle operation) 45°C (Continuous operation)
Performance Charge current: 2 It, SOC up to
C-rate charge Charge current: 2 It
test 80%
C-rate Discharge current: 3 It (BEV),
No applicable test
discharge 8 It (HEV)
Test temperature: 25°C, Test temperature: 45°C,
Cycle life
Test pattern: GB Test pattern: IEC
Test temperature: 25°C, 45°C
Charge
No applicable test SOC adjustment/test time: 50% /
retention
Ageing test 28 days
SOC: 50% (HEV), SOC: 100%
SOC: 100%
(BEV)
Storage Test temperature/test time:
Test temperature: 45°C,
25°C / 28 days, 55°C / 7 days
Test time: 3 cycles × 42 days
Low atmospheric pressure, No low atmospheric pressure,
Environmental
seawater immersion no seawater immersion
Sine sweep vibration, free fall, no Random vibration, no drop,
Mechanical
impact Mechanical shock
Safety and
Over-discharge: No SOC Over-discharge: SOC adjustment
abuse test Electrical
adjustment required (0%)
Internal short-circuit, nail (ceramic
Internal short-
Nail (steel nail) penetration nail) penetration alternative
circuit
method
Performance
Acquisition test No clear criteria, manufacturer
Clear criteria
criteria specification conformity
Life test

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For performance tests, the GB standards adopt evaluation at different discharge currents for
BEV and HEV, and the conditions are set according to the actual usage environment. Also, for C-
rate discharge tests for confirming rapid discharge performance, the IEC standards have no
corresponding test, and the emphasis is clearly placed on evaluation assuming the actual usage
environment. Finally, for safety tests, to verify the safety for transportation and use, inspection
items not included in the IEC standards—such as low atmospheric pressure tests, seawater
immersion tests, and nail (steel nail) penetration tests—are also included.
Overall, the GB standard test conditions are stricter than the IEC standard test conditions in
some cases, so special caution is necessary when developing and evaluating products for the
Chinese market. On the other hand, the GB standards have been adopted as a mandatory
certification standard for secondary battery products, as mentioned above, so the test results
criteria are clear. This is very convenient when conducting preliminary tests and performing
preliminary verification.

2.2 Case Examples

In the previous section, this report presented an overview of the comparison between the GB
standards and the IEC 62660 series standards. This section will compare the contents of the tests
by looking at portions of the performance, ageing, and safety and abuse tests.

[Performance test — C-rate charge]

This test, which performs charge test items at a high rate to verify quick-charging performance,
is equivalent to Section 6.3.7 of GB/T 31486, and the room-temperature C-rate charge test is
equivalent to the BEV application test in Section 7.9.3 of IEC 62660-1. GB/T standards include
tests for modules, while IEC standards include tests for cells. However, while the Test temperature
and charge current for both tests are 25°C and 2 It, respectively, the charge status for GB/T tests
is specified by the manufacturer as the end-of-charge condition, and for IEC tests SOC is up to
80%. Meanwhile, the discharge current condition for GB/T tests is 1 It, and for IEC tests is 1/3 It
for BEV applications. It is believed that measurement with an SOC of 80% in IEC tests was tailored
to BEV usage.

[Ageing test — Cycle life]

The GB/T 31484 standard is a cycle life requirement item. In addition to standard cycle life tests
for a single cell, and plug-in modules or systems, different operating cycle life tests are performed
for passenger HVs, passenger BEVs, commercial HVs, commercial BEVs. For the IEC standard,
the cycle life test is performed with separate types for HV cells and BEV cells.

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When comparing the conditions, we can see, for example, that the operating cycle life tests for
passenger BEVs in Section 6.5.3 of GB/T 31484 correspond to Section 7.8.2 of IEC 62660-1. Both
tests use cycles in which the charge/discharge rectangular wave profile shifts to the discharge
side after charging as specified by the manufacturer is repeated up to the specified SOC. However,
the GB/T test is for current control, while the IEC test is for power control. Two profiles are used
in the IEC test, Profile A and Profile B, which are considered simple simulations of assist load
fluctuations and regenerative charging during driving,
while the GB/T test has a simpler profile. The fact that
GB/T test is not as detailed as the IEC test suggests that
GB/T has a background of mandatory certification, and
that the purpose was to make it a condition in order to
ascertain certain aspects. As for the impact of the test
contents, capacity reductions were reported as more
likely to occur in GB/T tests than IEC tests when 45°C is
Fig. 2 — Cycle Life Test Using Secondary Battery
set as the temperature conditions6. Charge/Discharge Evaluation System

[Safety and abuse test— Internal short-circuit]

Forced internal short-circuit tests are performed to
verify safety, but the test method is significantly different
between sections 6.2.8 (cells) and 6.3.8 (modules) of
GB/T 31485, and Section 6.4.4.2 of IEC 62660-3. The
GB/T test is a so-called nail penetration test. The test
method is very easy to understand: a heat-resistant steel
nail completely penetrates through the center of a fully
Fig. 3 — Internal Short-Circuit Test with Nail
charged cell. In the IEC test, however, a short-circuit is Penetration Test Device

caused by compressing a cell with a piece of nickel inserted to represent foreign matter. Because
the IEC test is incredibly difficult to perform due to the need to disassemble the cell, and because
worker safety is also a concern, the method of using a ceramic nail with a nickel tip as a substitute
is summarized in the Technical Reports of IEC 62660-4. Moreover, for situations with more than
one cell block, the heat chain test can also be used as an alternative.

*The new GB 38031-2020 standard, “Electric vehicles secondary battery safety requirements,”
which replaces GB/T 31485 and GB/T 31467.3 by integrating the two was promulgated on May 12,
2020. In this standard, which will be enforced from January 1, 2021, but is officially required instead
of GB/T, the above-mentioned nail penetration test was removed due to how unusual such events
are occurred in actual usage. On the other hand, a thermal diffusion test was newly added for
safety verification in the event of a battery pack or single cell thermal runway occurred.

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3. Conclusion
After comparing the general outline of the test contents and the specific test conditions, we can
see that the GB standards for Chinese-market electric vehicle secondary batteries —in terms of
the basic ideas for performance tests, ageing tests, and safety and abuse tests of cells and
modules—are not significantly different from the IEC standards. However, while the principle and
purpose of establishing the GB standards are to determine the performance and quality of products,
the emphasis is on safety evaluation for use and transportation. The IEC standards, on the other
hand, define the setting of test conditions and the configuration of test contents for verifying
manufacturing quality. Therefore, the GB standards could be considered more applicable for
practical use in the Chinese market.
ESPEC’s Battery Safety Testing Center provides one-stop battery testing/certification services
under UN ECE R100-02, Part.II, as well as compliance with GB, IEC, ISO, and other international
standards for the maintenance and expansion of electric vehicle secondary batteries. The
mandatory GB standards (including GB 38031) introduced here are scheduled to be enforced from
January 2021. As such, ESPEC is making various efforts regarding test methods with particular
attention to the newly added thermal diffusion test. The company is currently dedicated to building
a test design capable of putting these new standards into practice.

*Feel free to contact ESPEC with any general questions or concerns regarding GB standard tests.
https://www.espec.co.jp/english/inquiry/trustee.php

References:
1) “Normative Conditions for the Lithium-Ion Battery Industry”, Ministry of Industry and Information
Technology of the People's Republic of China (MIIT), 2015
2) “New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Manufacturing Companies and Product Introduction Management
Regulations”, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China
(MIIT), 2019
3) Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC), Publication 2017, No.
14
4) Related GB standards: GB/T 31484-2015, GB/T 31485-2015, GB/T 31486-20155, GB 38031-
2020
5) Related IEC standards: IEC 62660-1:2018, IEC 62660-2:2018, IEC 62660-3:2016
6) “The Influence of Differences in Discharge Profile of Cycle Life Tests on Performance Changes
of Lithium-Ion Batteries for EV”, JARI Research Journal 20170801

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