13. The Chair of GRSP, co-Chair of the IWG on Electric Vehicle Safety (EVS), reported on the progress of work of the IWG. He informed GRSP that the most recent meeting of the IWG was held in Seoul (18-20 November 2014) and that experts continued to share research data and the progress of the nine Task Force teams:

1. Rechargeable Energy Storage Systems (REESS),
2. in-use test protocol,
3. Cell/Module/System test,
4. state of charge of batteries (SOC),
5. fire resistance,
6. protection against water intrusion,
7. electrolyte leakage,
8. low electric energy, and
9. inclusion of other vehicle classes.

He added that experts from contracting parties and the industry provided update on their research on Li-ion batteries, specifically on the on-going research in the United States of America. He clarified that it was critical to provide such research data and a justification to develop UN GTR requirements. He also recalled GRSP that WP.29 at its June 2014 session, agreed to extend the mandate of the IWG until December 2015 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1110, para. 99). Finally, he announced that the next meeting of the IWG is scheduled for March 2015 and that the group was expected to submit a draft UN GTR to the December 2015 session of GRSP.