[Background] 

Due to the increasing number of battery fire incidents involving "electric bicycles," an amendment to the safety standards is being proposed to establish new test requirements to prevent such incidents.

[Main Points] 

Establishment of a "water resistance test" requirement to prevent water from penetrating the electrical components of electric bicycles, and the provision of over-current and over-discharge test requirements for batteries to prevent fires during charging.

A. Over-discharge Test The over-discharge test for lithium-ion batteries must satisfy the requirements of [Annex 1] 48-2 (Safety Test for Traction Batteries of Two-wheeled Vehicles) of the "Detailed Enforcement Regulations on the Performance and Standards of Automobiles and Automobile Parts."

B. Over-current Test The over-current test for lithium-ion batteries must satisfy the requirements of [Annex 1] 48-2 (Safety Test for Traction Batteries of Two-wheeled Vehicles) of the "Detailed Enforcement Regulations on the Performance and Standards of Automobiles and Automobile Parts."

C. Protection Against Water Penetration (IP code) When tested in accordance with 5.6, the electrical devices of electric mountain bikes must meet at least the IPX5 requirements. The electrical devices of other electric bicycles must meet at least the IPX4 requirements. These requirements must be checked for each electrical device or unit of the electric bicycle. An example is the handle assembly. The components of the handle assembly include control switches, displays, lamps and other electrical devices, drive units, battery units, etc. If any water has penetrated, the amount of water entered must be less than the amount that could interfere with the correct operation of the equipment or impair safety.

D. For the over-current test and over-discharge test, a test report according to the table below must be submitted, and it must be issued by a designated safety confirmation testing laboratory for electrical appliances.