GB18384-2020
Electric vehicles safety requirements
电动汽车安全要求
GB 18384-2020 is a current mandatory Chinese national standard for Electric vehicles safety requirements. It appears in the Electronics compliance cluster with a product safety focus and has an implementation date of Jan 1, 2021.
Applicability depends on product scope, certification route, competent authority notices and transition rules. Requst for the translation or verify source before using this record in a compliance decision.
Compliance overview
Scope and applicability
This standard applies to electric vehicles (EVs) where the maximum working voltage of the onboard drive system is classified as B级电压 (Class B voltage, DC >60V or AC >30V). It covers comprehensive safety requirements and test methods to protect personnel during normal vehicle operation. The standard does not apply to road vehicles that remain continuously connected to the power grid during driving. It serves as a crucial technical basis for mandatory inspections of new EV type approvals and imported vehicles in China.
Technical requirements
The standard mandates comprehensive electrical safety protections for personnel, including high-voltage warning marks, direct contact protection via insulating barriers, and indirect contact protection. Manufacturers must ensure strict compliance with minimum insulation resistance values and implement mandatory continuous or intermittent insulation resistance monitoring. Additionally, it sets specific waterproof performance criteria to maintain insulation integrity after simulated washing and wading scenarios. Regarding functional safety, the standard dictates drive system power-on/off procedures, requiring at least two deliberate actions to enter the drivable mode. It also mandates clear driver warnings for power limitations, low REESS charge, and thermal event alarms for impending thermal runaway situations. Braking priority over acceleration is strictly enforced. The standard further incorporates requirements for 动力蓄电池 (traction battery) safety, crash protection, and flame retardancy of interior materials by referencing associated national standards. Notably, it requires M1 class EVs to be equipped with an Event Data Recorder (EDR) or a vehicle video driving recording device. Electromagnetic compatibility and charging interface specifications must also align with their respective referenced GB standards.
Testing methods
The standard outlines specific testing procedures to verify compliance. Direct contact protection is evaluated using IPXXD and IPXXB test probes defined in GB/T 4208-2017 without the use of tools. Indirect contact protection involves measuring whole-vehicle insulation resistance, charging socket insulation, and verifying the insulation monitoring function using adjustable resistors. Manufacturers must also conduct simulated washing (IPX5 hose testing) and simulated wading tests to ensure vehicle waterproofing. Additionally, functional safety protections are verified through real-vehicle testing based on the manufacturer's submitted design specifications.
FAQs
What products are regulated under GB 18384-2020?
The standard applies to electric vehicles (EVs) where the maximum working voltage of the onboard drive system is classified as B级电压 (Class B voltage, i.e., DC >60V or AC >30V). It does not apply to road vehicles that remain continuously connected to the power grid during driving.
Are there any updates from the previous version of GB 18384?
It consolidates and replaces the previous three parts of GB/T 18384 (2015 versions). Key updates include making insulation resistance monitoring mandatory, adding thermal event alarm requirements for the REESS, introducing component-level waterproof requirements as an equivalent to whole-vehicle testing, and updating the measurement methods for insulation resistance.
How does GB 18384-2020 relate to international standards?
The standard was formulated by extensively referencing the technical requirements of UN GTR No.20 (Electric Vehicle Safety), while modifying them to align with domestic product technology levels, application scenarios, and testing experiences in China.
The summary above provides a high-level overview of GB 18384-2020. To ensure complete compliance for your products entering the Chinese market, a precise and professional translation of the full technical specifications is essential. Purchase our high-quality English translation of GB 18384-2020 today to access all detailed parameters, tables, and testing procedures.
Applicability hints
- Type
- Safety
- CCS
- T40
- ICS
- 43.020
- Competent department
- Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
- Technical committee
- National Technical Committee on Automobiles of Standardization Administration of China
Relationships
Replaces:GB/T 18384.1-2015, GB/T 18384.2-2015, GB/T 18384.3-2015
Replaced by:GB 18384-2025 (Upcoming)