2. Mr. Rijnders, Chair of GRPE, opened the meeting, held as hybrid session, with all participants attending virtually because of the sanitary situation, and welcomed the participants. The Chair of the Informal Working Group (IWG) on Particle Measurement Programme (PMP) requested to remove ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRPE/2021/17 from the agenda as the IWG on PMP could not finalize the proposal in time for a consideration by GRPE. The Chair of the IWG on Electric Vehicles and the Environment (EVE) requested to remove ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRPE/2021/18 from the agenda as the IWG on EVE could not finalize the proposal in time for a consideration by GRPE.
3. GRPE acknowledged both requests by the IWGs on PMP and EVE and adopted the provisional agenda of the eighty-third session (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRPE/2021/9), as updated and consolidated in GRPE-83-03-Rev.4, and GRPE-83-02-Rev.1 as a tentative running order. GRPE took note of GRPE-83-01 on the organization of GRPE Informal Working Group (IWG) meetings held during the weeks prior to this meeting.
45. The Chair of the IWG on EVE detailed the reasons ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRPE/2021/18 had been withdrawn from the agenda and invited GRPE to review the latest draft of the UN GTR on In-vehicle Battery Durability (GRPE-83-09).
8. The Chair of IWG on EVE introduced the latest draft of the UN GTR on In-vehicle Battery Durability for electrified vehicles, as developed by the members of the IWG on EVE over numerous meetings over the last weeks and months (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRPE/2021/18, as amended by GRPE-84-01). He also introduced the final status report that accompanies the draft UN GTR (GRPE-84-02). He detailed the main elements of the new UN GTR that contain new approaches to monitor, report and verify the durability of batteries in electrified vehicles (GRPE-84-11).
9. The representatives from Japan, Sweden, US, the EU and OICA supported the proposals. GRPE adopted ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRPE/2021/18 and GRPE-84-01, as amended by Addendum 1 and GRPE-84-02, as amended by Annex IV to the session report.
10. GRPE requested the secretariat to submit Addendum 1 and Annex IV to WP.29 and AC.3 for consideration and vote at their March 2022 sessions as draft UN GTR on In-Vehicle Battery Durability for electrified vehicles and its final status report, respectively.
8. The Chair of IWG on EVE introduced the latest draft of the UN GTR on In-vehicle Battery Durability for electrified vehicles, as developed by the members of the IWG on EVE over numerous meetings over the last weeks and months (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRPE/2021/18, as amended by GRPE-84-01). He also introduced the final status report that accompanies the draft UN GTR (GRPE-84-02). He detailed the main elements of the new UN GTR that contain new approaches to monitor, report and verify the durability of batteries in electrified vehicles (GRPE-84-11).
9. The representatives from Japan, Sweden, US, the EU and OICA supported the proposals. GRPE adopted ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRPE/2021/18 and GRPE-84-01, as amended by Addendum 1 and GRPE-84-02, as amended by Annex IV to the session report.
10. GRPE requested the secretariat to submit Addendum 1 and Annex IV to WP.29 and AC.3 for consideration and vote at their March 2022 sessions as draft UN GTR on In-Vehicle Battery Durability for electrified vehicles and its final status report, respectively.
11. The representative from OICA introduced their position on heavy duty battery durability (GRPE-84-14). The Chair of the IWG on EVE thanked OICA for their continuous support on the whole process and looked forward to forthcoming collaboration. The Chair requested further analysis on the possibility to use the existing framework as defined in GRPE-84-01 or the need for a new approach to consider heavy duty vehicle battery durability. The Chair of the IWG on EVE confirmed this task was expected to be tackled as soon as the phase 2 activities were initiated, expected in January 2022.
136. Submitted for consideration and vote, the proposal for a new UN GTR on In-vehicle battery durability for electrified vehicles (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/45 and ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2022/46) was adopted on 9 March 2022 by consensus vote of the following contracting parties present and voting: Australia, Canada, China, European Union (representing Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden), India, Japan, Malaysia, Norway, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, South Africa, Tunisia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America.
137. The Chair emphasized the importance of the proposal for a new UN GTR on In-vehicle Battery Durability for Electrified Vehicles and invited the Chair of GRPE to provide a brief introduction to the proposal.
138. The Chair of GRPE underlined the relevance of the proposal to AC.3, and acknowledged the cooperation of all parties involved in the development of the UN GTR proposal and for the great achievement on this key issue for future attractiveness of electrified powertrains. He also underlined the importance of the proposal to help decarbonization of the transport sector and thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
139. He highlighted the consistent engagement by experts from Canada, China, Japan, Korea, the United States of America, the European Union and other key stakeholders for the seamless collaboration in developing the harmonized proposal submitted to AC.3 vote. He finalized by adding that the minimum performance requirements were included in the proposal for battery energy content and that driving range as well as extension of the scope to heavier vehicles categories were part of forthcoming activities.
140. The representative from Korea insisted on the importance of providing robust electrified vehicles to the market, given the sharp increase of electric vehicle registrations in recent months. He added that consumer acceptance needed continuous consideration for safe and environmentally friendly deployment of electrified vehicles, as provided by this UN GTR proposal. He concluded by confirming that Korea would continue supporting all activities on that topic.
159. No further updates were provided to AC.3 as the draft UN GTR had been adopted under agenda item 14.