G/TBT/N/USA/2113  
16 April 2024  
(24-3192) 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) [2144]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle co mments 
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 [X], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Electric 
powered vehicles; Quality (ICS code(s): 03.120); Protection against electric shock. Live 
working (ICS code(s): 13.260); Electrical and electronic testing (ICS code(s): 19.080); 
Electric road vehicles (ICS code(s): 43.120)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s)  of the notified document:  Federal Motor 
Vehicle Safety Standards; FMVSS No. 305a Electric -Powered Vehicles: Electric Powertrain 
Integrity Global Technical Regulation No. 20, Incorporation by Reference; (51 page(s), in 
English)  
6. Description of content:  Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) - Consistent with a 
Global Technical Regulation on electric vehicle safety, NHTSA proposes to establish 
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 305a to replace FMVSS No. 305, 
"Electric -powered vehicles: Electr olyte spillage and electrical shock protection." Among 
other improvements, FMVSS No. 305a would apply to light and heavy vehicles and would 
have performance and risk mitigation requirements for the propulsion battery. Relating 
to a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation, FMVSS No. 305a would also 
require manufacturers to submit standardized emergency response information for 
inclusion on NHTSA's website that would assist first and second responders handling 
electric vehicles.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Prevention of deceptive practices and consumer protection; Protection of the 
environment; Quality requirements  
8. Relevant documents:   
89 Federal Register (FR) 26704, 15 April 2024; Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 
Part 571 : G/TBT/N/USA/2113  
 
- 2 - 
 
  https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2024-04-15/html/2024 -07646.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2024-04-15/pdf/2024 -07646.pdf  
This notice of proposed rulemaking is identified by Docket Number NHTSA -2024-0012. 
The Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NHTSA -2024-0012/document  and provides access 
to primary and supporting documents as well as comments received. Documents are al so 
accessible from Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket Number. WTO Members and 
their stakeholders are asked to submit comments to the USA TBT Enquiry Point . 
Comments received by the USA TBT Enquiry Point from WTO Members and their 
stakeholders by 4pm Eastern Time  on 14 June 2024 will be shared with NHTSA and will 
also be submitted to the Docket  on Regulations.gov if received within the comment 
period.  
G/TBT/N/USA/644 and G/TBT/N/USA/644/Add.1  - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 
Standards; Electric -Powered Vehicles; Electrolyte Spillage and Electrical Shock Protection 
identified by Docket Number NHTSA -2011-0107. 
G/TBT/N/USA/1081 and G/TBT/N/USA/1081/Add.1  - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 
Standards; Electric -Powered Vehicles; Electrolyte Spillage and Electrical Shock Protection 
identified by Docket Number NHTSA -2016-0029. 
G/TBT/N/USA/1442 and G/TBT/N/USA/1442/Add.1  - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 
Standards; Electric -Powered Vehicles; Ele ctrolyte Spillage and Electrical Shock Protection 
identified by Docket Number NHTSA -2019-0009. 
Global Technical Regulation No. 20 (Electric Vehicle Safety (EVS))  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  14 June 2024  
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/crnattachments/2024/TBT/USA/24_02632_00_e.pdf