Formosa Sumitomo Smart Energy’s EV Bus Battery System Passes European Safety Certification: Wang Jui-Yu: Accelerating Domestic Battery Integration into Global Supply Chain

Formosa Sumitomo Smart Energy announced today (18th) that its electric bus power battery system has crossed a critical international automotive regulation threshold, officially obtaining the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) R100.03 E-Mark certification. This achievement not only fully aligns with domestic electric bus policies and review mechanisms but also facilitates vehicle manufacturers in accelerating their applications for local subsidies.

From international automotive standards and safety verification to mass production management, Formosa Sumitomo Smart Energy, an investment under the Formosa Plastics Group (1301-TW), has established comprehensive capabilities in automotive battery supply. This milestone marks a substantive step forward for Taiwan’s power batteries in expanding into the European automotive market and adds significant momentum to the domestic electric bus industry.

Formosa Sumitomo Smart Energy stated that R100.03 is a European electric vehicle safety regulation that sets strict requirements for mechanical, thermal, and electrical safety of power battery systems. The certified battery system uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells produced locally at the Changbin plant and has independently obtained the R100.03 E-Mark as a Rechargeable Electrical Energy Storage System (REESS). This certification serves as a crucial foundation for vehicle manufacturers to pursue subsequent model certifications.

Wang Jui-Yu, Chairman of Formosa Sumitomo Smart Energy, said, "As global transportation electrification continues to advance, competition in the automotive battery industry has expanded beyond production capacity to include safety, quality, mass production capability, and alignment with international automotive standards. For Taiwan’s EV industry, domestic cell production is just the starting point. To increase participation in the global automotive supply chain, we must establish autonomous capabilities in module design, system integration, and vehicle regulation compliance."

Wang emphasized that obtaining the R100.03 E-Mark certification signifies that Taiwan’s automotive battery industry has crossed an international system-level threshold, securing higher value and greater market opportunities for the sector.

Wang also noted that the Changbin plant under Formosa Smart Energy has already obtained the IATF 16949 Automotive Quality Management System certification (LOC). Combined with the R100.03 E-Mark, the plant meets the battery review requirements of Taiwan’s Ministry of Transportation’s Electric Bus Promotion Program. This makes it easier for vehicle manufacturers to qualify for subsidies when using Formosa Smart Energy batteries, accelerates the adoption of domestic batteries, reduces reliance on overseas components, and strengthens the autonomy and resilience of Taiwan’s electric bus supply chain.

Liu Hui-Chi, General Manager of Formosa Sumitomo Smart Energy, explained that the R100.03 E-Mark requires rigorous testing of battery system safety, including vibration and mechanical shock simulating driving conditions, repeated high-low temperature cycling, and extreme scenarios such as fire exposure and external short circuits. During testing, no fire, explosion, or electrolyte leakage is permitted, and essential electrical insulation performance must be maintained.

Liu emphasized that particularly during tests where a single cell’s thermal runaway is deliberately triggered in a fully charged state, the Battery Management System (BMS) correctly detects the anomaly and issues warnings, while the battery pack safely vents pressure through relief valves. The system showed no fire or propagation throughout the test, fully demonstrating Formosa Smart Energy’s active and passive safety design capabilities—from anomaly detection and alerting to risk containment.

The certification also includes successful Completion of Production (COP) assessment. Liu explained that this evaluation ensures not only the submitted product but also the subsequent mass production processes and quality management systems consistently meet certification requirements. By integrating domestic cells, battery modules, BMS, system integration, and production management, Formosa Sumitomo Smart Energy will establish a complete automotive battery capability covering product development, regulatory certification, and mass supply. The company will continue to deepen its technological expertise and advance the participation of domestic batteries in the global automotive supply chain.