Standards and policy tracker

MoRTH / ARAI

Safety of the electric power train and traction battery (REESS) for two-wheelers, three-wheelers and quadricycles. Amendments made after the 2022 two-wheeler fires added a thermal propagation test, an IPX7 water-ingress test at full charge, BMS requirements and cell testing in an accredited laboratory, in two phases from 1 December 2022 and 31 March 2023.

Why it matters in the workshop: Explains why newer scooter and e-auto packs have warnings, sealed enclosures and tighter BMS limits. Treat any damaged or flooded pack as a potential thermal risk regardless of certification.

Source: ARAI guide via EVreporter

MoRTH / ARAI

The equivalent requirements for cars, buses and trucks, covering cells, BMS, on-board charger, pack design and thermal propagation from an internal cell short circuit.

Why it matters in the workshop: Applies to the electric cars, buses and trucks a workshop may service; manufacturer isolation procedures are written against it.

Source: ARAI guide via EVreporter

BIS

Performance, reliability and abuse testing of secondary lithium-ion cells used for propulsion. Cell testing to this standard is required under the AIS-156 amendments.

Why it matters in the workshop: When a cell datasheet or homologation file cites IS 16893, the cell has passed defined abuse tests; it does not mean a damaged cell is safe.

Source: ARAI guide via EVreporter

MoRTH

An older battery abuse-test standard, which MoRTH notified in 2022 would be cancelled as AIS-156 and AIS-038 Rev 2 took over.

Why it matters in the workshop: Older vehicles and documents may still refer to it.

Source: ARAI guide via EVreporter

Ministry of Power; BEE as central nodal agency

Issued in September 2024. Sets time limits of 3 to 90 days, depending on the area, for utilities to give charging connections; a single-part tariff with lower rates during solar hours; caps on service charges; density aims of a charging point about every 1 km in cities and every 20 km on highways by 2030; and a national database of public chargers run by BEE.

Why it matters in the workshop: Shapes how depots and public sites are connected and billed, which matters when planning fleet charging.

Source: Renewable Watch · BEE EV Yatra

BIS

Indian standards for conductive charging, aligned with IEC 61851 and IEC 62196, including the CCS2 and Type 2 connectors used by cars and the LECCS (Type 7) connector for light electric vehicles.

Why it matters in the workshop: Tells you which plug, communication and safety functions a charger and vehicle should support.

Source: BIS: EV charging standards

Central Electricity Authority

The CEA (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2023 set general electrical-safety requirements, such as earthing, protection and inspection, that apply to charging installations.

Why it matters in the workshop: Workshop and depot chargers must be installed and maintained by qualified electrical contractors to these rules.

Source: Central Electricity Authority

MoEFCC / CPCB

Extended producer responsibility for collecting and recycling batteries, including EV batteries. The amendment effective 24 February 2025 lets producers show their EPR registration number by barcode or QR code, requires it in product brochures, and has CPCB publish a quarterly list of compliant producers.

Why it matters in the workshop: Used and damaged packs must go to registered recyclers through the producer's take-back route, not the scrap trade.

Source: Corporate Professionals summary · Gazette notification

MoRTH

Draft guidelines published in January 2026 propose a unique 21-character identifier for every battery pack, with its data on a central portal, starting with EV batteries and later industrial batteries above 2 kWh. A new number would be issued when a pack is repurposed or recycled. Not yet final.

Why it matters in the workshop: If adopted, technicians will record BPANs on job cards and service history will follow the pack, not just the vehicle.

Source: Free Press Journal · Mercom India

Ministry of Heavy Industries

Demand incentives and charging support. In August 2026 the scheme was extended to 31 March 2028, with the electric two-wheeler incentive at ₹2,500 per kWh up to ₹5,000 per vehicle (and no more than 15 percent of an ex-factory price of up to ₹1.5 lakh) for vehicles registered from 1 April 2025. The L5 three-wheeler incentive closed in December 2025 after its target was met. The scheme also covers electric trucks, buses, ambulances and charging infrastructure.

Why it matters in the workshop: Affects vehicle prices and fleet decisions; incentive eligibility depends on homologation and localisation rules.

Source: Autocar Professional, 11 August 2026