Canada: New standards for hydrogen vehicles

 

Transport Canada is currently evaluating the introduction of two new safety standards for hydrogen vehicles under the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations.

As the federal authority responsible for vehicle safety, Transport Canada ensures that all new vehicles and equipment meet established safety standards to maintain road safety in Canada. Manufacturers and importers must certify that all new vehicles—whether imported or manufactured in one province and sold in another—comply with these regulations.

At present, Canada has no specific safety standards or requirements addressing hydrogen fueling, storage, or propulsion systems in vehicles. In contrast, both the United States and the United Nations have established standards for these systems, which are based on Global Technical Regulation No. 13 (GTR No. 13) on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicles. Consequently, Transport Canada is conducting consultations to consider adopting similar standards.

U.S. Safety Standards for Hydrogen Vehicles

There are two main U.S. standards governing hydrogen-powered vehicles:

1. In-use and post-crash requirements
   The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 307 – Fuel System Integrity of Hydrogen Vehicles ensures vehicle safety during regular operation and following a collision. It focuses on preventing hazardous hydrogen leaks and system malfunctions. The standard includes requirements related to:

• allowable hydrogen leakage rates;
• hydrogen dispersion in confined spaces;
• secure mounting of storage containers; and
• measures to reduce fire risks after a crash.

2. Compressed Hydrogen Storage System requirements
   The FMVSS No. 308 – Compressed Hydrogen Storage System Integrity standard ensures the long-term safety of hydrogen storage tanks. It includes durability and performance testing to assess how the tank withstands temperature variations and repeated refueling cycles over its lifetime. It also requires that hydrogen be safely vented in the event of a fire and that safety components, such as pressure relief devices, operate effectively.

International Safety Standards

The UN Regulation No. 134, applied in the European Union and several other jurisdictions, sets safety requirements for hydrogen-fueled vehicles. It addresses aspects such as hydrogen leak prevention, crash protection, and the safe handling of both gaseous and liquid hydrogen.

Both the U.S. standards (FMVSS Nos. 307 and 308) et UN Regulation No. 134 are based on GTR No. 13, sharing the same overarching safety goals but employing different approaches to achieving them.

Consultation Questions

Transport Canada is seeking stakeholder feedback on the following points:

1. Should Canada’s requirements be harmonized with the U.S. hydrogen vehicle safety standards?
2. Do you have any concerns regarding the U.S. hydrogen vehicle safety standards?
3. Should Transport Canada consider allowing equivalent alternative standards—such as UN Regulation No. 134—instead of strict alignment with U.S. regulations? Are there other standards (e.g., ISO, SAE, or similar) that provide an equivalent level of safety?
4. Should manufacturers be given flexibility to choose among multiple compliance pathways, or would a single harmonized approach be preferable? Respondents are encouraged to explain their reasoning.

To find out more about regulations for vehicle regulations in Canada, please do not hesitate to contact the Institute for Global Automotive Regulatory Research.