China is introducing some of the world's strictest safety requirements for electric vehicles. Starting July 1, 2026, new national standards GB18384-2025 and GB38031-2025 will come into effect, affecting both the vehicles themselves and their traction batteries.
The main innovation concerns batteries. Manufacturers are now required to prove that the battery will not catch fire or explode even in the event of thermal runaway – a chain reaction of overheating cells, which is considered the main cause of serious incidents with traction batteries. Previously, the requirements were softer: the system only had to warn the driver of a possible fire at least five minutes in advance.
The new standard also introduces additional tests. These include bottom impact tests, simulating battery damage when hitting an obstacle, as well as stability checks after hundreds of fast charging cycles. Manufacturers will have to significantly refine the design of batteries, cooling systems, and battery module protection.
An equally important change concerns the vehicles themselves. Chinese regulators require physical means of power disconnection and mechanical access to key safety functions. This approach is related to the growing number of vehicles where many systems are entirely dependent on electronics. In an emergency, doors and emergency mechanisms must work even with a complete loss of power.
The new regulations effectively raise the bar above traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. Chinese authorities openly state the goal of making electric vehicles not just comparable in safety, but safer than gasoline and diesel cars. Given that electrified transport already accounts for more than half of new sales in the country, such requirements could affect the entire global automotive industry.
For manufacturers, this means new development costs. For buyers, potentially safer cars. And for the industry as a whole, it's another confirmation that competitive struggle is increasingly not only about range and charging speed, but also about the level of safety.