The Federal Department of Infrastructure is seeking to clarify requirements for BEVs, FCEVs and noise testing in minor Australian Design Rule (ADR) amendments.
In mid-April, the Department advised HVIA through its membership of the Vehicle Standards Consultative Forum (VSCF) of its intention to amend two ADRs relating to heavy vehicles: ADR 80/04 and ADR 113/00.
ADR 80/04 relates to Emission Control for Heavy Vehicles, and ADR 113/00 relates to Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems for Quiet Road Transport Vehicles.
The amendments to ADR 80/4 are administrative in nature and intended to clarify compliance requirements through additional wording for pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).
The changes will give an alternate compliance pathway for those vehicles, and battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that have motive power information specified on the Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV) will not have to fit a label or emblem to be recognised as fully compliant with ADR 80/04.
As motive power information will be mandatory for all vehicles entered on the RAV from July 1, 2026, this will make it easier for these vehicles to access the mass concessions available to Euro VI trucks under Heavy Vehicle National Law.
The amendment to ADR 113/00 will enable vehicles to be tested on a test track meeting the specifications referred to in ADR 83/00. This is deemed necessary as no test track in Australia meets the requirements of the standard currently called in ADR 113/00.
In neither change are the requirements becoming more onerous, nor are additional compliance requirements being added.
Impacted HVIA members were emailed directly and advised of the proposed changes.
Nonetheless, if other members have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact HVIA’s Chief Technical Officer Adam Ritzinger at a.ritzinger@hvia.asn.au, prior to COB May 8, 2026.