China-led international EV standard released to modernize performance testing

A new international standard for pure electric vehicle (EV) performance, led by Chinese experts and the first of its kind for the entire EV sector, has been officially released, according to the National Standardization Administration of China.

ISO 8715-1:2026, titled "Electric road vehicles — Road operating characteristics — Part 1: Passenger cars and light duty vehicles," replaces the previous ISO 8715:2001 standard, updating testing methods that had remained largely unchanged for over two decades. It specifies test methods for vehicle speed, acceleration and climbing ability, key performance indicators that directly affect user experience.

The previous standard, in place for more than 20 years, no longer reflected the capabilities of modern EVs, according to Yu Yang, a senior researcher at the China Automotive Standardization Research Institute.

"The previous standards only covered acceleration requirements at low and medium speeds, and did not include high-speed acceleration or extreme hill-climbing performance, scenarios that consumers actually encounter. So in this revision process, we have incorporated these into the new standard," Yu said.

The updated standard expands the test temperature range from 5–32 degrees Celsius to 0–40 degrees Celsius to better reflect real-world conditions. It also introduces high-speed acceleration tests, in addition to existing low-speed tests.

"The previous tests only covered acceleration from 0 to 50 km/h and 50 to 80 km/h. This time, we have expanded the scope to include high-speed acceleration tests such as 0 to 100 km/h, 60 to 100 km/h and 100 to 120 km/h. Both the vehicles' adaptability to different environments and their dynamic performance have been significantly improved," Yu said.

In climbing ability tests, the new standard adds a maximum gradient test method to assess vehicles' reserve power, addressing a gap in the previous standard's evaluation of extreme performance.

The release of the new standard provides a unified testing method for EV performance worldwide, offers an authoritative basis for comparing key performance parameters, and is expected to have a positive impact on the globalization of the EV industry, experts said.

China-led international EV standard released to modernize performance testing

Iran-Oman negotiations on the designation of a temporary route for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz have reached the final stage, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday.

The understanding between the two countries regarding the route's designation would likely be registered with the International Maritime Organization in the coming days, Baghaei said at a weekly press conference in Tehran.

The insecurity in the waterway is a consequence of the U.S.-Israeli military aggression against Iran, he said, noting that vessels will not be able to travel this route with confidence and a sense of security by the time this situation continues.

Responding to a question about a Sunday visit by a Qatari delegation to Iran, Baghaei said it took place as part of Qatar's efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region.

He said contacts between Iran and certain other countries in the region that have long been trying to help reduce tensions are "an ongoing process."

In a joint statement late last month, Iran and Oman announced they had exchanged views on a proposed phased framework that includes establishing a temporary joint shipping corridor in the Strait of Hormuz and an agreement to implement a joint project to demine the waterway.

Technical talks between the two countries will continue to address the designation of a permanent shipping corridor, the future administration of the strait, and a mechanism for information exchange, traffic management, and security arrangements in the waterway, the statement added.

Iran tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz on Feb 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.

Talks with Oman on Hormuz Strait reach final stage: Iran