New National Standard for EV Battery Durability Takes Effect: State of Available Energy Must Remain Above 82% After 5 Years

The national standard for the durability of electric vehicle traction batteries has officially come into effect. The standard defines and specifies display requirements for the State of Available Energy (SAE) of the battery—the ratio of the battery’s current actual available energy to its available energy in the new-vehicle state—and mandates that vehicles display this value in real time via the onboard system, with a maximum allowable deviation of 5% between the displayed value and the actual measured value. The standard also introduces the concept of “virtual mileage” to account for battery energy discharged during non-driving conditions, converting it into an equivalent driving mileage. It requires that the relative deviation between the displayed virtual mileage and the measured value not exceed 3%. For light-duty passenger vehicles, the standard sets minimum thresholds for the State of Available Energy based on different usage durations and mileages: after 5 years or 100,000 kilometers, the SAE must remain at least 82%; after 8 years or 160,000 kilometers, at least 75%; and after 10 years or 200,000 kilometers, no less than 70%. This standard is a recommended national standard aimed at enhancing transparency regarding battery degradation, enabling consumers to better understand their battery’s condition, reducing warranty disputes, and providing automakers with a unified reference for vehicle development.