Battery passport for EVs coming to EU: data collection to optimize durability, repair and further use

These are questions that mainly concern consumers. For example, the buyer of a used EV and its counterpart, the current owner. How often has the battery been charged? What is the remaining capacity? Are all the cells alright?

The manufacturers themselves provide corresponding information on the installed batteries. However, how the values are obtained, how they can be read out and how reliable they are is largely in the hands of the respective suppliers.

This will change in February 2027, when every battery in electric vehicles and every industrial battery with a capacity of at least 2 kilowatt-hours in the European Union must have a battery passport. The batteries in e-bikes or compact energy storage systems for the home will therefore remain unaffected, as they are generally much smaller.

All other batteries, in particular the expected increasing number of batteries in electric cars, must provide a whole range of information.

This starts with the raw materials used and their origin. The performance and lifespan, the possibility of finding out the exact battery condition and information on restoring capacity and repairability must also be provided. How the battery can be disassembled and which parts can be replaced must also be provided as reliable disassembly instructions.

All information should be verifiable. It serves as an important argument when selling a used e-car. They should make repairs possible in the first place. Subsequent use and ultimately recycling can also be made much easier in this way.

The current start-up phase, which should be completed by the beginning of 2025, is designed as a cross-industry project. The list of participants includes Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, as well as the power supplier RWE and VDE, which is known for its certifications and standards.

The exact implementation is still being discussed. The amount of data collected and its specific provision have also not yet been finally decided.

And one thing is clear: this will certainly not make batteries any cheaper. On the other hand, the repairability and information on the exact composition of the batteries should increase their service life as well as their resale value.