The Australian Government has established the Australian Design Rule (ADR) 109/00 and 109/01/01 – Electric powertrain safety requirements and ADR 110/00 – Hydrogen fuelled vehicle safety-related performance to strengthen safety requirements for new electric and hydrogen-fuelled vehicles in Australia.
The standards streamlines the country’s approach to protecting road users, first responders, technicians, and communities from coming into direct contact with high-voltage live parts and leaking battery electrolytes and compressed hydrogen during a crash.
They will be slowly rolled out in the coming years to allow vehicle manufacturers to adjust their processes.
With electric vehicles becoming increasingly popular in the country due to their lower maintenance costs, fuel costs, CO2 emissions, and better driver experience, the new safety requirement standards set by the Australian Government ensure Australians can maximise the benefits of these vehicles.
The new mandate, which was asked for by the industry and follows community consultation, is aligned with United Nations regulations. These regulations ensure Australian consumers can buy the safest vehicles at the lowest cost from the global market.
The first compulsory compliance dates will become effective from November 2024 despite vehicle manufacturers being able to meet these standards now.
