. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.98.520
26 October 1998
(98-4153)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (28)
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Electric Vehicles (HS
Chapter 8703)
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards (9 pages, English)
6. Description of content:  This document proposes a new Federal motor vehicle safety
standard (FMVSS) that would establish requirements and test procedures which address
safety issues exclusive to electric vehicles:  electrolyte spillage, post-crash retention of
batteries in their mounts, and shock hazard.  The standard would be based upon the SAEJ1766 FEB96 “Recommended Practice for Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicle Battery
Systems Crash Integrity Testing,” and be known as FMVSS Standard No. 305, “Electric-
powered vehicles:  electrolyte spillage and electrical shock protection.”  Test procedureswould be include the frontal barrier crash test of FMVSS Standard No. 208, the side moving
barrier crash test of FMVSS Standard No. 214, and the rollover and rear moving barrier
crash tests of FMVSS Standard No. 301.  However, as proposed, the standard would notapply to low-speed electric vehicles regulated by FMVSS Standard No. 500, and the agency
is asking for comment on this issue.
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:  To
address safety issues exclusive to electric vehicles.
8. Relevant documents:  63 FR 54652, 13 October 1998; 49 CFR Part 571.  Will appear in the
Federal Register when adopted.
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined
Proposed date of entry into force:G/TBT/Notif.98.520
Page 2
10. Final date for comments:  27 November 1998
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, e-mail and telefax number of
the other body:  The text is also available on the Internet at:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html