As the world’s largest producer and consumer of mobile power products, China has made power banks an everyday essential for travel. However, frequent fires and explosions caused by inferior cells and simplified protection circuits have plagued the industry. The old standards offered insufficient regulatory power and left safety blind spots – a lingering threat to both consumers and the industry.
Finally, China’s first mandatory national standard for mobile power supplies has arrived – GB 47372-2026 “Safety Technical Specification for Mobile Power Supplies” was officially issued on March 31, 2026, and will become mandatory on April 1, 2027. With a 12-month transition period, the industry is facing a complete reshuffle.
I. Core Upgrades: 5 Major Enhancements for Whole-Life-Cycle Safety
This is no minor patch-up – the new standard establishes a whole-life-cycle safety system, covering materials, design, production, and use. Five breakthroughs significantly raise the safety baseline:
Enhanced Battery Intrinsic Safety
Adds the needle puncture test, upgrades crush and thermal abuse tests, and tightens physical protection requirements – eliminating fire/explosion risks at the cell source.Lithium Plating Test after 300 Cycles
After 300 charge-discharge cycles, the amount of lithium plating is strictly limited – greatly improving safety in aged batteries, boosting both durability and safety.Mandatory Intelligent Management
The Battery Management System (BMS) must monitor voltage and temperature in real time and store abnormal data – safety status becomes monitorable and readable.Unique “Electronic ID”
Every power bank receives a unique traceability code, linking manufacturer and product information – counterfeit products can no longer hide.Full-Process Production Control
Not just final products – raw materials and production processes are fully supervised, eliminating inferior supply chains.
II. Key Definitions: Power Banks vs. Portable Power Stations – Finally Clarified
For the first time, the new standard clearly distinguishes between the two categories. Consumers no longer get confused, and manufacturers must label accordingly:
Portable mobile power supply (power bank) : Rated energy ≤ 160Wh – for daily charging of phones, earbuds, etc.
Portable energy storage power supply (power station) : Rated energy > 160Wh – for high-power needs like camping or road trips.
Special rule: Charging cases/pods with battery capacity > 600mAh, and lighting/speaker products with charging function – all are treated as mobile power supplies.
III. Toughest Type Tests: Fail = Elimination
The new type tests are the strictest ever. Lithium-ion battery products must pass multiple aggressive tests – no fire, no explosion, no leakage – to be considered (compliant).
🔋 Core cell safety tests (lithium-ion specific)
Overcharge (tightened) : Continue forced charging after full charge – no abnormality within 7 hours.
Round bar crush : Rigid cells withstand 20kN crushing force without damage.
Thermal abuse (tightened) : Constant 135°C for 60 minutes – resistant to high temperatures, no burst or fire.
Needle puncture (new) : Steel needle penetrates the cell – still safe.
Lithium plating test (new) : After 300 cycles, lithium plating area strictly limited.
📱 Complete power bank safety requirements
Over-charge/over-discharge/over-voltage/over-current/temperature protection – automatic shutdown upon abnormality.
Port short circuit for 2 hours – temperature rise ≤ 10K.
Output port reverse charging – no damage, no hazard.
Intelligent management: voltage error ±1%, temperature error within precise range.
Abnormal condition lockout: after over-voltage/under-voltage – permanently locked, cannot be restored, eliminating hazardous use.
IV. For Consumers: What to Look for When Buying a Power Bank
The new standard mandates clear labeling. A compliant product must display:
✅ Product name (clearly “portable” or “energy storage”)
✅ Model number, manufacturer/maker
✅ Input/output port parameters
✅ Rated energy (Wh)
✅ Safe service life and production date
✅ Unique traceability code
✅ Warnings in Chinese: No disassembly, keep away from high temperature, stop use if swollen, etc.
Additionally, labels must withstand alcohol and water wipe tests – remaining legible and durable.
V. Industry Impact: Counterfeiters Out, Compliance Rules
Mandatory standard – violations prosecuted
Unlike the old recommended standards, GB 47372-2026 is mandatory. After April 2027, non-compliant products are banned from production and sale.Eliminating inferior products, cleaning the market
High safety thresholds directly filter out small factories lacking core technology and using(inferior cells). The market consolidates toward compliant industry leaders.Safer for consumers
From cell to complete unit, from use to disposal – full-chain protection – saying goodbye to “mobile bombs.”
VI. Implementation Timeline
Issue date: March 31, 2026
Transition period : 12 months
Mandatory enforcement : April 1, 2027
GB 47372-2026 is both a safety red line for the industry and a shield for consumers.
For manufacturers : Use the 12-month transition period to upgrade products – compliance is the only path to survival.
For consumers : From 2027 onward, look for the new GB mark, avoid unbranded products, and charge with greater peace of mind!
Recommendation: Olinmat Mobile Power Supplies
Fully compliant with GB 47372-2026, Olinmat power banks meet the strictest safety requirements – from battery cells to intelligent BMS. They are an excellent choice for export to the Middle East market, where high-quality, certified products are in high demand. Choose Olinmat for guaranteed compliance, superior reliability, and seamless market access.
