G/TBT/N/USA/1081  
 
16 March 2016  
(16-1548)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department 
of Transportation (DOT) [1100] 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above : 
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point 
Email: usatbtep@nist.gov   
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 applic able, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Electric-powered 
vehicles. Protection against electric shock. Live working (ICS: 13.260), Road vehicle systems 
(ICS: 43.040) 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document: Federal Motor 
Vehicle Safety Standards; Electric-Powered Vehi cles: Electrolyte Spillage and Electrical Shock 
Protection (30 pages, in English)  
6. Description of content: NHTSA is proposing to amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 
Standard (FMVSS) No. 305, "Electric-powered ve hicles: Electrolyte spillage and electrical 
shock protection," to adopt various electrical safety requirements in Global Technical 
Regulation (GTR) No. 13, "Hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles." To expand the standard's performance requirements beyond post-cra sh conditions, NHTSA proposes to adopt 
electrical safety requirements to protect against direct and indirect contact of high voltage 
sources during everyday operation of electric -powered vehicles. Also, NHTSA proposes to 
adopt an optional method of meeting post-crash electrical safety requirements consistent with that set forth in GTR No. 13 involving use of physical barriers to prevent direct or 
indirect contact (by occupants or emergency services personnel) with high voltage 
sources. Today's proposal would facilitate the introduction of new technologies including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and 48 volt mild hybrid technologies, and responds not only to 
GTR No. 13 but also to petitions for rulemaking from Toyota Motor North America Inc. 
(Toyota) and the Auto Alliance (Alliance).  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: Protection of human health or safety;  Prevention of deceptive practices and 
consumer protection  G/TBT/N/USA/1081 
 
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  8. Relevant documents: 81 Federal Register (FR) 12647, 10 March 2016; Title 49 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 571. Will appear in the Federal Register when adopted. G/TBT/N/USA/644 -  
https://docs.wto.org/imrd/directdoc.asp?DDFDocuments/t/G/Tbtn11/USA644.DOC  and 
G/TBT/N/USA/644/Add.1- 
https://docs.wto.org/imrd/directdoc.asp ?DDFDocuments/t/G/TBTN11/USA644A1.DOC  
9. Proposed date of adoption: To be determined 
Proposed date of entry into force: To be determined   
10. Final date for comments: 9 May 2016 
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachm ents/2016/TBT/USA/16_1063_00_e.pdf