China's automotive testing authority has released a new version of its premium electric drive system verification standard, tightening requirements for power density, efficiency, safety, and electromagnetic compatibility. The 2027 edition, published on September 29 by CATARC (China Automotive Technology and Research Center), updates the Premium Drive high-quality electric drive verification protocol that was first launched in 2023.
According to PCauto, the new standard responds to the industry's shift toward more integrated, higher-voltage, and higher-speed electric drive systems. It revises evaluation metrics across five dimensions: power performance, energy efficiency, power safety, electromagnetic performance, and noise quality.
Higher power density and efficiency targets
The updated protocol raises the specific power requirement from 2.5 kW/kg to 3.0 kW/kg, and increases the wheel-end specific torque requirement from 45 N·m/kg to 55 N·m/kg. It also extends the high-power continuous operation range from 7 to 8 on the protocol's scale, emphasizing sustained output capability across a wide speed range rather than just peak figures.
Energy efficiency evaluation now shifts from the previous steady-state efficiency map approach—known as the "dual 85" method—to CLTC cycle efficiency. The new standard requires silicon-based electric drive systems to achieve at least 90% efficiency in the CLTC cycle, while silicon carbide (SiC) and higher-generation semiconductor systems must reach 92%.
Safety and electromagnetic testing refined
For power safety, the standard streamlines its test suite from 39 items to 32, removing 10 items that were functionally redundant or less applicable, and adding three new test scenarios for unintended torque output. These new scenarios cover excessive unintended torque, reverse unintended torque, and unintended torque during zero-torque requests.
Electromagnetic requirements are also tightened. The minimum human electromagnetic protection margin increases from 6 dB to 9 dB, and radiation emission limits for AM/FM frequency bands rise to level 5, while other bands remain at level 3. A new 100 V/m reverberation chamber immunity test evaluates the drive system's communication and functional stability under external electromagnetic interference.
CATARC said the new standard continues to use psychological acoustic parameters such as loudness, sharpness, tone-to-noise ratio (TNR), and prominence ratio (PR) to assess noise quality. The organization also introduced an "AI for Premium" initiative, using large models to analyze data from verified products and build a comprehensive dataset for future evaluations.
The 2027 edition is the result of a process that began in 2023, involving technical discussions, method research, and product validation, with the scope expanding to include hybrid and range-extender systems. CATARC said the updated protocol aims to provide objective, comparable evaluation criteria for the industry and help consumers understand technical performance.
