The provisional agenda for the tenth meeting of the Informal Working Group on EV/HFCV Retrofit Systems on Thursday 2nd July 2026 includes adoption of the agenda, approval of minutes, coordination and organization of work with reference to GRPE-92-14, EV/HFCV-02-02, GRPE-93-22/Rev.1, GRSP-78-17, GRVA-25-19, and WP.29-199-16, electrical safety review, braking, EMC, power determination and battery range, UN Draft, and any other business, with subsequent meetings scheduled for 9th September online and 8th October online.

This consolidated draft text proposes uniform provisions for approving vehicles transformed into electric vehicles (EV) or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCV) with electric powertrain retrofit systems. The regulation defines retrofit systems as all devices and components necessary to operate vehicles in electric mode, including powertrains, energy storage systems, management systems, and vehicle inlets. It specifies application procedures, marking and approval requirements, technical specifications for retrofit systems, installer qualifications and authorization, conformity of production procedures, modification and extension of approvals, and penalties for non-compliance. The regulation applies to vehicles of categories M and N and requires compliance with relevant UN Regulations including those addressing electromagnetic compatibility, braking, power measurement, and electric powertrains. Specific technical requirements address surveillance systems, anti-tampering provisions, performance parameters, dimensional and mass tolerances, and acoustic devices.

Proposal to add an Abbreviations section, redefine scope to apply to electric powertrain retrofit systems for M₁–M₃ and N₁–N₃ vehicle categories intended to be transformed into pure electric vehicles (EV) or Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles (HFCV), replace “conversion” terminology with “transformation” throughout, separate requirements into distinct annexes for EVs and HFCVs, add a Provisions for PTI section specifying retrofit system identifiability and certificate requirements, insert transitional dates for REESS compliance with UN Regulation 100 (31 August 2027 onwards for new types; 31 August 2029 onwards for all types), insert transitional dates for braking compliance with UN Regulation 13 (31 August 2026–2029 for new types; 31 August 2028–2031 for all types) and UN Regulation 13-H (31 August 2028 for new types; 31 August 2030 for all types), add mass distribution verification requirements when unladen weight variation exceeds 5%, and align mass and dimensions procedures with regional requirements such as EU 2021/535.

The Classic Car Retrofit Consortium represents SMEs performing small-series and classic car retrofits, averaging around 10 vehicles per year. The current draft regulation applies OEM-level type-approval logic designed for large-series fleet retrofits, which would eliminate the existing SME sector without materially improving safety. Specific challenges include destructive REESS testing costs of approximately 100,000 EUR per battery pack type, full-vehicle EMC testing costs around 30,000 EUR per car, and cybersecurity requirements unsuitable for classic vehicles. CCRC proposes either clarifying the regulation’s scope to exclude classic car retrofits, or developing a tailored regulatory framework specifically for classic cars produced in small numbers.