How to Verify a Chinese Electric Vehicle Factory: 5 Documents to Request

Why factory verification is not optional

China has world-class electric vehicle manufacturers. It also has trading companies that resell third-party product under invented brand names, agents who show certificates that belong to a different factory, and suppliers whose EEC approval numbers resolve to a different model or manufacturer when you look them up. The quality and compliance difference shows up at customs (wrong certificates), at point of sale (warranty disputes, recalls) and in your after-sales cost over a three-year dealer relationship.

Five documents separate a verifiable production factory from a trader who cannot back up its claims. The checks below take one to two business days and cost nothing beyond your time.

Document 1 — Business Licence (营业执照)

The business licence confirms the legal entity name, registered address, date of incorporation and stated business scope. Every Chinese company has one. Look up the Unified Social Credit Code (统一社会信用代码, an 18-character identifier) on the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System at gsxt.gov.cn — this is a free, government-authoritative database. Confirm the company is in active standing and that the business scope includes manufacturing or export of vehicles.

• Red flag: company registered less than 18 months ago selling at factory-direct prices
• Red flag: business scope listed as "trade" only with no manufacturing activity
• Red flag: factory address does not match the business licence registered address

Document 2 — Export Licence (对外贸易经营者备案登记表)

This document confirms the company is registered to conduct foreign trade. Not all manufacturers hold one directly — some use a licensed trading company for export, which is legitimate, but it creates an extra accountability layer. If the supplier is using an export agent, obtain the manufacturer's business licence as well as the exporter's. Verify that both documents are consistent and current.

Document 3 — ISO 9001:2015 Certificate

ISO 9001 certifies that a documented quality management system is in place. It does not certify vehicle quality directly — it certifies the process. Verify the issuing certification body is accredited: go to iso.org or the relevant national accreditation body website and confirm the certification body name appears on the accredited list. Note the certificate validity dates.

• Red flag: certificate body name not found on iso.org accredited list
• Red flag: certificate expired or within 30 days of expiry
• Red flag: certificate scope does not include electric vehicle manufacturing

Document 4 — EEC Type-Approval Number

A genuine EEC approval carries a number in the format e[country code]*2013/168*[number] — for example, e1*2013/168*00123. The issuing member-state authority and the technical service (TÜV, IDIADA, UTAC, CERAM) will both be named on the document. Cross-check the approval number against the UNECE WP.29 type-approval reference or request the type-approval authority's confirmation letter.

A crucial check: verify that the model name and power output on the approval document matches the vehicle you are ordering. Approvals are model-specific; a certificate for a 1200W moped does not cover a 4000W motorcycle.

• Red flag: supplier sends a photo of a certificate rather than a verifiable PDF with a certificate number
• Red flag: approval number resolves to a different manufacturer or model when cross-checked
• Red flag: "CE" certificate presented instead of EEC type-approval — CE marking is not equivalent for road-legal vehicles

Document 5 — UN 38.3 Battery Test Report

Lithium battery shipments require a UN 38.3 transport test report issued by a CNAS- or IEC 17025-accredited laboratory. The report covers eight tests (T.1–T.8) for the specific battery chemistry, capacity and cell configuration. If the supplier presents a shared group report, confirm your exact pack specification is within its scope — a report covering a 48V 20Ah pack does not cover a 72V 40Ah pack.

Without a valid UN 38.3 report, sea carriers will refuse the booking and air carriers will not accept the shipment. This is not a customs matter — it is a carrier safety requirement. Do not proceed with a supplier who cannot produce this document for their lithium battery option.

Third-party factory audits: when to use them

For first-container orders from a new supplier, a third-party factory audit is the strongest risk mitigation available. SGS, TÜV SÜD and Intertek all offer factory audit programs in China at USD 400–900 depending on location and scope. A standard audit covers business registration, production-line capacity, in-line QC checkpoints, welding and paint quality, and spot-checks of production against spec sheets.

EVMOTO works with two audited factories in Tianjin and Jiangsu. We hold copies of all five documents above for every model and share them with confirmed buyers as part of the dossier package. For importers who want to conduct an independent audit of our supply chain, we welcome it. Contact us to arrange access.