• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has come out with performance standards for electric vehicle batteries in order to ensure the safety of consumers.

• The standard ‘IS 17855: 2022’ has been formulated for lithium-ion traction battery packs and systems of electrically-propelled road vehicles and it has been harmonised with ‘ISO 12405-4: 2018’.

• BIS is the national standards-setting body that functions under the consumer affairs ministry. 

• This standard incorporates the test procedure for basic characteristic of performance, reliability and electrical functionality for the battery packs and system for either high power or high energy application.

• Electric vehicles operate on an electric motor and rechargeable batteries. Over the past decade, electric vehicles have grown in terms of visibility and availability in the market. Most electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries because of their high power-to-weight ratio.

• Safety and performance are two critical aspects of electronic devices. Requirement of battery system for use as a power source for propulsion of vehicles are significantly different from battery used for consumer electronics or stationary use.

• The new EV batteries’ standard incorporates the test procedure for the basic characteristic of performance, reliability and electrical functionality for the battery packs and system for either high power or high energy application.

• This standard is formulated considering real-life scenarios for an electric vehicle such as vehicle in parking (battery is not used for an extended period of time), the battery system being shipped (stored), operating battery at low and high temperature, etc, accordingly various tests are incorporated in this standard.

• Considering the safety aspect of batteries for electric vehicles, the BIS is in the process of publishing two more standards related to batteries for various passenger and goods carrying vehicles (L, M and N categories).

Bureau of Indian Standards 

• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) was established in 1986 assuming the functions of the erstwhile Indian Standards Institution (ISI).

• In its capacity as the National Standards Body of India, BIS is actively involved in matters of international and regional standardisation. 

• India has been actively involved in the matters of international standardisation and was one of the founding members of International Organization for Standardization (ISO). 

• BIS is a member of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and regional standards bodies like Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC) and South Asian Regional Standards Organization (SARSO).

• BIS operates under the framework of the BIS Act of 2016 and the Rules and Regulations framed thereunder.

Objectives of BIS: 

i) Harmonious development of the activities of standardisation, marking and quality certification of goods.

ii) Provide thrust to standardisation and quality control for growth, and development of industry on one hand, and to meet the needs of consumers on the other.

• Its headquarters is situated in New Delhi. It has five regional offices located at Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Delhi. There are 32 branch offices. 

• BIS develops Indian Standards through a consultative mechanism in technical committees comprising stakeholders so that views and interests of all are given due consideration while formulating a standard.

• BIS operates a Product Certification Scheme. The presence of Standard Mark (popularly known as ISI mark) on a product indicates its conformity to the relevant Indian Standard. Before granting a licence to any manufacturer, BIS ascertains the availability of required infrastructure and capability of the manufacturer to produce and test the product conforming to the relevant Indian Standard.

BIS has been providing traceability and tangibility benefits to the national economy in a number of ways:

i) Providing safe reliable quality goods.

ii) Minimising health hazards to consumers.

iii) Promoting exports and imports substitute.

iv) Control over proliferation of varieties through standardisation, certification and testing.

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