GB 38031-2025: China's Mandatory EV Battery Safety Standard Explained
GB 38031-2025 is China's mandatory national standard for the safety of electric vehicle traction batteries, covering cell-level and pack/system-level requirements. It takes effect on July 1, 2026.
Standard Fact Sheet
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Standard number | GB 38031-2025 |
| Title | Safety requirements for traction battery of electric vehicles (电动汽车用动力蓄电池安全要求) |
| Legal force | Mandatory national standard (GB) |
| Status | Current; supersedes GB 38031-2020 |
| Issued | 2025-03-28 |
| Effective | 2026-07-01 |
| ICS / CCS | ICS 43.120 / CCS T 47 |
| Issuing body | State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) & Standardization Administration of China (SAC) |
| Official source | National Public Service Platform for Standards Information (openstd.samr.gov.cn) |
Core Requirements
Cell safety (Clause 5.1) — 7 tests, all requiring no fire and no explosion:
- Over-discharge test (8.1.2)
- Overcharge test (8.1.3)
- External short circuit test (8.1.4)
- Heating test (8.1.5)
- Temperature cycling test (8.1.6)
- Crush test (8.1.7)
- Fast-charge cycle safety test (8.1.8, new in 2025)
Pack or system safety (Clause 5.2) — 16 tests requiring no leakage, housing crack, fire or explosion, with post-test insulation resistance ≥ 100 Ω/V (≥ 500 Ω/V where AC circuits are present):
- Vibration, mechanical shock, simulated collision, crush
- Damp heat cycling, immersion (Option 1: no fire/explosion; Option 2: IPX7 per GB/T 4208-2017)
- Thermal stability (external fire test + thermal propagation analysis & verification), temperature shock, salt spray, high altitude
- Over-temperature protection, over-current protection, external short circuit protection, overcharge protection, over-discharge protection
- Bottom impact test (new in 2025; pack, system or vehicle level)
Thermal propagation (Clause 5.2.7):
- After thermal runaway is triggered, the thermal event alarm must be issued no later than 5 minutes after the trigger
- Smoke must not endanger the passenger compartment before the alarm or within 5 minutes after it (vehicle-level test: no smoke entering the passenger compartment)
- Thermal propagation analysis and verification report per Annex C (normative)
Same-type determination (Clause 9, new in 2025): batteries of the same type (same design, key materials and manufacturing process) may be exempted from repeated testing, reducing certification cost.
Implementation (Clause 10): vehicles applying for new type approval comply from the effective date (2026-07-01); already type-approved vehicles comply from the 13th month after the effective date.
Reference Chain
- Normative references (force transmission): GB/T 4208-2017 (IP codes), the GB/T 2423 series (environmental test methods), GB/T 19596 (EV terminology) and GB/T 28046.4-2011 (climatic loads) are normatively referenced, so complying with GB 38031-2025 means these referenced requirements also become binding.
- vs GB 38031-2020: the 2025 edition supersedes the 2020 edition (effective 2021-01-01). The 2020 edition upgraded cell/module safety requirements from the former recommended standard GB/T 31485-2015 to mandatory — a milestone in China's EV battery safety regulation.
- vs GB/T 31484 / 31486 / 31467: recommended standards for cycle life, electrical performance and pack/system test methods become binding when cited by type-approval or certification procedures.
- vs UN 38.3: UN 38.3 governs lithium battery transport safety (Section 38.3 of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, covering air, sea, road and rail), while GB 38031 governs in-vehicle use safety. Exported EV batteries must satisfy UN 38.3 for transport and GB 38031 for the Chinese market.
- vs EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542: for the EU market, Chinese EV battery makers are bound by GB 38031 (production in China) and the EU Battery Regulation (sales in the EU) at the same time.
References
- National Public Service Platform for Standards Information: GB 38031-2025 details (openstd.samr.gov.cn)
- SAMR & SAC Announcement No. 5 (2025) publishing GB 38031-2025
- CQC: Notice on changing the certification basis standard for vehicle power batteries
FAQ
When does GB 38031-2025 take effect?
It takes effect on July 1, 2026 and replaces GB 38031-2020. Vehicles applying for type approval after that date must comply immediately; vehicles already type-approved must comply from the 13th month after the effective date.
What are the main changes from the 2020 version?
New definitions for battery subsystem and thermal event; new fast-charge cycle safety test for cells; new bottom impact test for the pack, system or vehicle; new same-type (family) determination chapter; revised requirements and test methods for vibration, mechanical shock, simulated collision, crush, immersion, thermal stability, salt spray and high altitude; more detailed thermal propagation analysis and verification (alarm no later than 5 minutes after thermal runaway trigger).
Which products are covered by GB 38031-2025?
Traction battery cells, packs and systems used in electric vehicles, including pack housings formed by the vehicle body frame. Non-vehicle batteries (stationary storage, portable devices) fall under other standards.
Which safety tests must battery cells pass?
Seven tests: over-discharge, overcharge, external short circuit, heating, temperature cycling, crush, and fast-charge cycle safety. All require no fire and no explosion.
How does GB 38031-2025 relate to UN 38.3?
They apply to different stages: GB 38031 covers in-vehicle use safety for batteries sold in China, while UN 38.3 (Section 38.3 of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria) covers transport safety by air, sea, road and rail. Exported EV batteries normally must satisfy both.
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