What is a battery passport?
A battery passport is an electronic record for an individual battery, connected to that battery through a QR code and a unique identifier. Under the EU Batteries Regulation, the record combines information about the battery model with information specific to that unit, including relevant information generated during its use. It is a way to make product and lifecycle information available to people with the appropriate access rights. It is not itself a certification mark.
The legal passport requirement begins on 18 February 2027 for electric vehicle batteries, light means of transport (LMT) batteries, and industrial batteries with a capacity greater than 2 kWh when placed on the market or put into service. The capacity threshold applies to the industrial category in that provision, not to every battery category. The regulation guide explains the scope in context.
How does a physical battery connect to its record?
Four pieces are easy to confuse:
| Piece | What it does | Practical question |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | The individual physical product | Which unit and model are involved? |
| QR code | The data carrier that a person or system can scan | Is it legible and attached as required? |
| Unique identifier | The identity linked to that battery | Does it resolve to the correct record over time? |
| Passport information | Model and unit-specific data with defined access rights | Where did each value come from, and who can use it? |
Article 77 links passport access to the QR code referred to in Article 13(6). The QR code is therefore an entry point, not a substitute for the record. A scan that reaches a page with an attractive dashboard says little about the completeness, accuracy or accessibility of the underlying information. See the QR code and identifier guide for the operational questions.
What information belongs in a passport?
Annex XIII groups information by both subject and access. Publicly accessible model information includes items such as material composition, specified technical characteristics, the EU declaration of conformity and certain environmental information. Other model information, including detailed composition and dismantling instructions, has restricted access. Individual battery information can include performance and durability values, state of health, status and use-related data, subject to the applicable provisions.
This is not a flat list of fields that every visitor sees. A useful implementation separates model-level facts from individual-unit events and maps each field to its legal source, definition, unit, evidence and access category. The data requirements guide provides a field-register method. Always check the current Annex XIII and any applicable measures for the battery category in question.
Who uses the information?
A consumer may need understandable public product information. A manufacturer or other responsible economic operator must be able to maintain accurate and current data. A repairer, remanufacturer, second-life operator or recycler may need specific information to assess or handle a battery, but access to restricted material is governed by the regulation. Authorities and notified bodies have their own access categories.
These are different needs, so a single unrestricted public page is a poor mental model. Article 78 also addresses interoperability, access, data integrity, privacy and continued availability. For an organisation planning a system, the question is not merely “can someone scan it?” but “can the right person retrieve the right version of trustworthy information?”
What happens later in the battery’s life?
A battery may be serviced, prepared for re-use, repurposed, remanufactured, become waste and eventually be recycled. Article 77 provides for a new passport linked to the original passport or passports for batteries placed on the market or put into service after certain status-changing operations. It also addresses responsibility when a battery becomes waste and states that a passport ceases to exist after recycling. The details depend on the actual operation and battery status.
This is why identity continuity and change history matter. A system should distinguish a correction to a model field from an event affecting one battery. The lifecycle overview introduces these stages.
Is a passport the same as a label or a compliance certificate?
No. A label conveys marked information on a product or its packaging. A QR code provides a route to information. The passport is the connected electronic record with prescribed content and access. It does not automatically establish that all other obligations under the Batteries Regulation have been met. Carbon footprint, performance, due diligence, conformity and waste-management rules have their own scope and application dates.
Article 13(6) calls for QR codes on all batteries from 18 February 2027, with different information destinations for categories outside the Article 77 passport scope. “A QR code is required” and “a battery passport is required” are therefore not interchangeable statements.
How should an organisation begin?
- Identify the battery category using the regulation’s definitions, rather than a product marketing label.
- Map who places the battery on the market or puts it into service and who supplies the underlying information.
- Select one representative unit and separate model data from unit-specific events.
- Build a field register with source evidence, ownership, update triggers and access levels.
- Test the identifier-to-record path, data corrections and export before scaling.
This is a planning sequence, not a legal determination for a particular product. The implementation overview and illustrative record can help turn the concepts into a small pilot.
Common questions
Is every battery required to have a passport in 2027?
Article 77 identifies LMT, EV and industrial batteries above 2 kWh. Article 13(6) separately provides for QR codes on all batteries from the same date, with other information accessible for batteries outside passport scope. Check classification and the current legal text for a real product.
Is everything in the passport public?
No. Annex XIII distinguishes public model information from information restricted to specified bodies or persons with a legitimate interest. Access and permitted use should be designed from the applicable provisions, not inferred from the existence of a QR code.
Does buying passport software make a battery compliant?
No. Software can support identifiers, records and access, but the responsible operator still needs accurate information, evidence and processes. Use the software evaluation guide to test a provider against a representative record.
Sources & further reading
Source links point to primary materials and further reading, including commercial implementation resources where cited. This introductory guide does not replace the legislation.