Chinese media reports that China will implement the strictest regulations in history for power banks, explicitly requiring power bank cells to pass needle puncture tests, and mandating products to indicate their safe usage lifespan.
China’s Blue Whale News, citing unnamed insiders, reports that China’s first mandatory national standard "Technical Specifications for Power Bank Safety" was officially released on March 31 and will take effect on April 1, 2027.
According to those familiar with the matter, specific details have not yet been announced, but 28 battery cell companies, including ATL, Lishen, BYD, and Huizhou Marathon, as well as 5 chip and BMS solution companies, have already passed preliminary testing.
Blue Whale News also quoted industry sources as reporting that, in response to long-standing issues such as false capacity labeling, inferior cells, and frequent safety incidents, the new regulations achieve multiple technical breakthroughs: explicitly requiring power bank cells to pass needle puncture testing to ensure no fire or explosion after penetration; tightening temperature and duration requirements for thermal abuse testing; adding stringent safety tests such as drop and crush tests for the whole device; and mandating products to indicate their safe usage lifespan and improve protection mechanisms against overcurrent and short circuits.
Last year, Chinese authorities banned travelers from bringing power banks without 3C certification marks, with unclear 3C marks, or recalled models/batches onto domestic flights, stating that incidents of power banks and other lithium battery products catching fire or emitting smoke on board were frequent.