The group standard On-board Terminal Sealed Nickel-Metal Hydride Rechargeable Battery Requirements for Intelligent Connected Vehicle (T/CIAPS0014-2021), organized by the China Industrial Association of Power Sources, and jointly formulated by Highpower Technology, EVE Energy, Cham Battery, and other units, was officially released to the public on December 8, 2021, and came into effect on January 1, 2022.

The Telematics Box (T-Box), short for vehicle-mounted Telematics Box, is a vehicle information and positioning transmission system composed of related electronic components such as OBD, MCU, GPRS, GPS positioning module, Bluetooth module, 2G/3G/4G/5G communication module, power conversion circuit, and vehicle-mounted sensors. It provides users with relevant data information such as driving data, travel information, real-time status detection, remote control, and security services. From its inception in 1995 to today, it has evolved into an important OEM component for passenger vehicles.

In the T-Box system, the use of high-reliability and automotive-compliant batteries is crucial. Under normal circumstances, the vehicle-mounted T-Box is powered by the vehicle's battery. However, in special situations such as engine failure or when the internal battery cannot supply power, a dedicated backup battery for the T-Box is needed to provide emergency power, ensuring uninterrupted operation for a short period.

However, there is currently a lack of relevant national standards for on-board terminal sealed nickel-metal hydride batteries for intelligent connected vehicles in China. This lack of standardized regulations poses challenges for domestic suppliers in terms of assessing battery design solutions and ensuring consistent product quality. Moreover, there are no clear guidelines for terminal vehicle manufacturers to procure suitable batteries for their vehicles. These factors collectively raise concerns regarding the safety and reliability of on-board terminal sealed nickel-metal hydride batteries for intelligent connected vehicles.

To address this gap, on March 25, 2020, the China Industrial Association of Power Sources issued a solicitation letter to establish a group standard working group for On-board Terminal Sealed Nickel-Metal Hydride Rechargeable Battery Requirements for Intelligent Connected Vehicle, seeking industry feedback and convening participating units. Cham Battery, as a leader in the battery industry, promptly joined the group standard working group. Subsequently, Cham Battery participated in multiple rounds of online and offline seminars organized by the standard working group. In December 2021, the draft compilation of the standards was completed.

Based on the application requirements, application environment, and technical level of battery products in the field of intelligent connected vehicle telematics terminals in China, the Requirements put forward that on-board terminal sealed nickel-metal hydride batteries for intelligent connected vehicles must meet the requirements of automotive regulations, with safety and failure levels far exceeding those of general industrial applications. At the same time, the battery, as the backup power for E-call and T-box, has the most basic application of emergency call function, which is critical to life. In emergency situations, the battery must be able to support a call function for at least 15 minutes within a wide temperature range of -30 to 85°C. It should even be able to support a 15-minute call function under long-term (3-10 years) storage at high and low temperature limits. Under extreme high and low temperature storage conditions, the design reliability level of safety and structural components of the battery must far exceed the requirements of industrial-grade wide temperature range.

The introduction of this standard helps further standardize the requirements for on-board terminal sealed nickel-metal hydride batteries for intelligent connected vehicles in China, providing guidance for domestic related products and enterprises, and promoting the healthy and orderly development of the battery industry.

As a leading representative in the domestic battery manufacturing field, Cham Battery has nearly 20 years of professional experience in the battery industry. In the future, it will participate in the formulation of more standards to contribute to a more standardized and normalized industry.