SAIC Motor signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the US’s UL, a global leader in product certification, on Nov 17, concerning testing, certification, consultation, and training, which is expected to increase cooperation in electric vehicle safety and reliability. SAIC is a leader in new energy vehicles, with the focus on safety, durability and reliability of its storage battery, while UL is a well-known certification organization with more than a century of experience in safety solutions and experience in electric vehicle safety standards for batteries, motors and electric controls. Its UL 2580 is the world's first car battery pack safety standard.

UL is expected to help SAIC with its own safety standards and certification in the field of new energy vehicles. SAIC will also work with Shanghai’s E-Propulsion Auto Technology Co for technical support and product assessment of its electric vehicle during the early stage of development. Zhu Jun, a GM at Shanghai E-Propulsion, said that their company will apply UL safety standards for understanding the key points of safe product design at the early development stage to increase consumer confidence. At the same time, SAIC will make full use of UL’s good name and testing and certification services to produce more electric vehicles that meet market and safety standards.

Li Jianjun, a GM at UL China, explained that UL has experience in electric vehicles and batteries and can help manufacturers produce safe, standard batteries and vehicles and consolidate their domestic market position while making inroads into foreign markets, and noted, “This MOU shows UL’s confidence in helping SAIC consolidate its Chinese market and explore North American markets. We believe that the joint effort will push China’s e-vehicle development.”

Shanghai E-Propulsion has worked with UL in the e-vehicle and battery business before, doing a safety evaluation of the battery system for the Roewe E50 and hybrid power 550PLUG-IN, in 2012, and UL2580 certification. It concluded some rigorous experiments on the battery systems, this September, in burning, soaking, falling, short circuit, and other areas, and the safety evaluation. A certificate of authentication was issued on Nov 17, making SAIC one of the first that got UL2580 battery safety certification.

The MOU is a major move in promoting e-vehicle safety and development and shows that SAIC Motor’s e-vehicles and auto parts will be able to set a benchmark in China’s e-vehicle business and are taking a new step forward in new energy vehicle development. SAIC says it plans to introduce more safe products in accordance with market requirements and to take China’s e-vehicle industry to a higher level.