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What this standard covers

Scope — clause 1

This document specifies the safety requirements for battery cells, battery packs, or systems used in electric vehicles (hereinafter referred to as "the battery") and describes the corresponding test methods.

This document applies to power batteries used in electric vehicles.

Source: GB 38031-2025 clause 1 (PDF page 9).

The standard covers three test objects:

  • Cells — clause 8.1, seven tests.
  • Battery packs — clause 8.2.
  • Battery systems — clause 8.2.

For some tests the criterion extends to the whole vehicle (8.2.16 bottom impact, 8.2.7.2 thermal propagation at vehicle level). The standard also defines a battery subsystem (3.5) that may, by agreement between manufacturer and testing agency, substitute for a full pack/system if the latter is impractical for a given test (clause 6.1.6).

What is out of scope — Introduction

This document does not address safety in production, transportation, maintenance, or recycling, nor does it cover performance and functional characteristics.

Source: GB 38031-2025 Introduction (PDF page 7).

Specifically out of scope:

  • Manufacturing and production safety
  • Transportation (use UN 38.3 / GB 38031 is silent here)
  • Maintenance and field service safety
  • End-of-life and recycling safety
  • Performance characteristics (capacity retention, power, efficiency)
  • Functional characteristics (BMS algorithms beyond what affects pass/fail of the listed safety tests)

The Introduction also notes that safety depends on design and usage conditions, where usage conditions include normal operation, foreseeable misuse, foreseeable failure, and environmental conditions (temperature, altitude). The standard's tests are designed against this conception of usage.

Document structure

Clause Content
1 Scope
2 Normative references (GB/T 2423.4, 2423.17-2024, 2423.43, 2423.56, 4208-2017, 19596, 28046.4-2011)
3 Terms and definitions (3.1 to 3.20)
4 Symbols and abbreviations (I₁, I₃, BCU, FS, PSD, RMS, SOC)
5 Safety requirements — pass criteria for all tests
5.1 cell-level
5.2 pack/system
6 Test conditions (environment, accuracy, errors, recording)
7 Test preparation (standard charging, pre-treatment)
8 Test methods
8.1 cell-level (7 tests)
8.2 pack/system (17 tests)
9 Same-type determination (which design changes require re-test)
10 Implementation of the standard
Appendix A (Informative) Typical structural examples of battery packs and systems
Appendix B (Normative) Insulation resistance test methods (Method 1 voltage divider; Method 2 insulation meter)
Appendix C (Normative) Thermal propagation analysis and verification report

The pattern across clauses 5 and 8 is: clause 5.x.y states the pass criterion; clause 8.x.y defines the corresponding test method. To answer "what does the standard require for test N", read 5.x.y; to answer "how is test N performed", read 8.x.y.

Source: GB 38031-2025 Table of Contents (PDF pages 3–4).

Audience guidance

This wiki is written for:

  • Mechanical and electrical engineers preparing a test campaign — start at How to use this wiki, then go to the per-test pages under docs/tests/.
  • Type-approval staff assessing compliance — start at What's new in 2025 and the pass/fail criteria.
  • Importers and OEM compliance teams building roadmaps — start at When it takes effect.
  • LLMs and RAG systems answering compliance questions — every numerical value is cited by clause; the cheatsheet is the authoritative single-page index.

Cross-references