Battery testing answers two different questions. Is it safe? Safety tests abuse the cell or battery with short circuits, overcharge, forced discharge, crush, impact, drops, vibration and heat, and check that it does not catch fire, explode or leak. Does it perform as rated? Performance tests measure capacity, cycle life, charge retention, internal resistance and high-rate discharge. Indian standards usually separate the two: IS 16046 is the safety standard for portable lithium and nickel batteries, and IS 16047 covers portable lithium performance. UN 38.3 is a separate set of transport tests needed to ship lithium batteries. IS 16893 covers lithium-ion cells for electric vehicles, and AIS 156 sets safety requirements for the traction batteries of two- and three-wheelers. Our NABL accredited battery testing scope covers 583 tests across all of these and the main lead-acid standards.
Safety vs performance standards at a glance
| Application | Safety standard | Performance standard |
|---|---|---|
| Portable lithium and nickel (phones, laptops, power banks, tools) | IS 16046 (IEC 62133) | IS 16047 (IEC 61960-3) |
| Lithium-ion cells for EV propulsion | IS 16893 Part 2 (reliability and abuse) and Part 3 (safety) | IS 16893 Part 1 |
| Industrial lithium (ESS, UPS, telecom, forklifts) | IS 16805 (IEC 62619) | IS 16822 (IEC 62620) |
| Vehicle traction battery packs (REESS) | AIS 156 (L category), AIS 038 | — |
| Transport of lithium cells and batteries | UN 38.3 | — |
| Solar PV storage | — | IS 16270 (includes safety requirements) |
| Lead-acid: stationary, automotive, traction | — | IS 1651, IS 1652, IS 13369, IS 15549, IS 7372, IS 14257, IS 13514, IS 5154, IS 8320 |
The scope also covers international standards used by exporters and telecom buyers, including IEC 62133, IEC 62660, IEC 62619, IEC 61960, UL 1642, UL 2054, UL 1973 and TEC 67030 for lithium-ion telecom batteries.
IS 16046: portable battery safety
IS 16046 is the standard behind CRS registration of lithium-ion and nickel portable cells and batteries. It has two parts, and the accredited test lists differ between them.
IS 16046 (Part 2), lithium systems
| Test | Clause |
|---|---|
| Continuous charging at constant voltage (cells) | 7.2.1 |
| Case stress at high ambient temperature (battery) | 7.2.2 |
| External short circuit (cells) | 7.3.1 |
| External short circuit (battery) | 7.3.2 |
| Free fall | 7.3.3 |
| Thermal abuse (cells) | 7.3.4 |
| Crush (cells) | 7.3.5 |
| Over-charging of battery | 7.3.6 |
| Forced discharge (cells) | 7.3.7 |
| Vibration and mechanical shock (battery) | 7.3.8 |
| Internal AC resistance for coin cells | Annex D |
IS 16046 (Part 1), nickel systems adds incorrect installation, low pressure, temperature cycling and continuous low-rate charging, alongside external short circuit, free fall, mechanical shock, thermal abuse, crush, overcharge, forced discharge and vibration.
Both parts also include design checks that a report must cover, not just the abuse tests: insulation and wiring, venting, temperature, voltage and current management, terminal contacts, assembly of cells into batteries, the quality plan, the battery safety component (Part 2), marking, safety information and packaging.
For CRS, the IS 16046 report must come from a laboratory recognised by BIS for IS 16046. We confirm which laboratory your registration needs before testing, so the report can be filed. See our CRS registration guide and the lithium-ion and portable batteries product page.
IS 16047: portable lithium performance
IS 16047 checks the claims on the label: discharge performance and rated capacity at 20°C, discharge at −20°C, high-rate discharge at 20°C, charge retention and recovery, recovery after long-term storage, endurance in cycles (including accelerated cycling), battery internal resistance, and cell designation and marking. Buyers use these results to compare suppliers and to check that a “10,000 mAh” pack is really 10,000 mAh.
UN 38.3: transport testing for lithium batteries
UN 38.3 is a section of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria. Lithium metal and lithium-ion cells and batteries must pass it before they can be transported as dangerous goods by air, sea, road or rail. Carriers and freight forwarders ask for evidence of UN 38.3 testing, usually in the form of a test summary. The accredited scope covers all the tests:
| Test | Clause | What it simulates |
|---|---|---|
| T.1 Altitude simulation | 38.3.4.1 | Low pressure in an unpressurised aircraft hold |
| T.2 Thermal test | 38.3.4.2 | Rapid, extreme temperature changes |
| T.3 Vibration | 38.3.4.3 | Vibration during transport |
| T.4 Shock | 38.3.4.4 | Impacts during handling |
| T.5 External short circuit | 38.3.4.5 | A short circuit across the terminals |
| T.6 Impact and crush | 38.3.4.6 | Mechanical abuse that could cause an internal short |
| T.7 Overcharge | 38.3.4.7 | Overcharging of a rechargeable battery |
| T.8 Forced discharge | 38.3.4.8 | A cell driven into reverse in a series string |
Not every test applies to every product. T.7 is for rechargeable batteries, T.8 for cells, and T.6 uses impact or crush depending on the cell type. Our UN 38.3 testing covers the impact and crush variants. UN 38.3 does not replace IS 16046. A battery importer typically needs IS 16046 for BIS and UN 38.3 for shipping.
IS 16893: lithium-ion cells for electric vehicles
IS 16893 is the Indian adoption of IEC 62660, in three parts:
- Part 1, performance: dimensions, mass, power, energy, storage, cycle life and energy efficiency.
- Part 2, reliability and abuse: vibration, mechanical shock, crush, high temperature endurance, temperature cycling, external short circuit, overcharge and forced discharge, with capacity measurement, general charge conditions and SOC adjustment.
- Part 3, safety: vibration, mechanical shock, temperature cycling and internal short circuit.
Cell makers, importers and EV pack assemblers use IS 16893 reports to qualify cells before building packs, and buyers increasingly ask for them.
AIS 156 and AIS 038: EV traction battery packs
AIS 156 sets the requirements for the electric power train of L category vehicles (two- and three-wheelers and quadricycles), including the rechargeable electrical energy storage system (REESS) or traction battery. AIS 038 covers the same ground for M and N category vehicles. Both were strengthened in 2022–23 after a series of EV battery fires, with thermal propagation among the key additions.
In our NABL accredited scope, AIS 156 testing covers:
- drop test for removable REESS
- external short circuit protection
- overcharge protection
- over-discharge protection
- over-temperature protection
- REESS ingress protection
- thermal shock and cycling
- thermal propagation
- the technical requirements for traction batteries of L category vehicles (Annex 8K)
AIS 038 testing covers the REESS general safety requirements, vibration, thermal shock and cycling, mechanical shock, external short circuit, overcurrent, over-discharge, over-temperature and low-temperature protection, and thermal propagation.
Formal type approval under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules is done by testing agencies notified under Rule 126. A NABL accredited AIS 156 report is valuable before that: to find design problems early, to pre-test a pack before it goes for approval, and to qualify a cell or pack supplier.
Lead-acid and solar batteries
Lead-acid standards are mainly about performance and durability. Accredited tests include:
- Stationary batteries (IS 1651, IS 13369, IS 15549, IS 1652): capacity at different discharge rates, voltage during discharge, ampere-hour and watt-hour efficiency, endurance, loss of capacity on storage or retention of charge, water loss, short circuit current and internal resistance, and suitability for floating operation.
- Automotive batteries (IS 7372, IS 14257): capacity, high-rate discharge at normal and low temperature, cold cranking, charge acceptance, retention of charge, overcharge resistance, vibration, life cycle and water consumption.
- Solar PV batteries (IS 16270): capacity, charge efficiency, charge retention, endurance, cycling endurance in extreme PV conditions, deep discharge protection, sulphation and water loss tests for lead-acid types, and safety and marking requirements. Testing to IS 16270 is available at a BIS-recognised laboratory.
Which report you need
| Purpose | Report |
|---|---|
| CRS registration of portable lithium or nickel batteries | IS 16046 from a laboratory recognised by BIS for IS 16046 |
| Shipping lithium cells or batteries | UN 38.3 test results and a test summary |
| EV vehicle or battery type approval | AIS 156 or AIS 038 testing by a CMVR testing agency; NABL testing for pre-compliance and supplier qualification |
| Tenders, telecom, solar and utility buyers | NABL accredited report to the standard in the bid, such as IS 15549, IS 16270 or TEC 67030 |
| Comparing suppliers or checking claims | Performance tests such as IS 16047, IS 16822 or IS 16893 Part 1 |
For the general rule on NABL and BIS reports, see NABL accredited vs BIS-recognised lab.
Samples
Battery standards need more samples than most products, because abuse tests destroy them and some tests need cells and complete batteries. IS 16046 sets the sample size for each test in its type test clause. We send a sample list once we know the chemistry, capacity, configuration and which tests you need.
How Aaditech can help
Aaditech offers NABL accredited battery testing for portable, EV, industrial, telecom, solar and lead-acid batteries. We work out which standards apply to your product and your purpose, plan the tests and samples, and review the report before you submit it to BIS, a carrier or a buyer. The full test lists are on the battery and cell testing page.