EV battery repair and the record

EV battery repair is work that restores a battery, module, or pack to working condition, and the record must show the fault, the operation, the parts changed, the tests applied, and the operator, for the individual battery concerned. Repair differs from maintenance, remanufacturing, and repurposing, and the record must name the operation correctly, because the passport and conformity consequences follow the operation. EN 18061:2025 gives steps, conditions, and protocols for safe repair and reuse and preparation for repurposing of EV batteries, including the role of manufacturer instructions. A repair carried out without the manufacturer instruction, where that instruction is required, should be recorded as such, with the basis for the work stated. An undocumented repair leaves the next holder without a history.

Repair, in this record, means work that corrects a fault or replaces a faulty component to restore function within the original specification. The scope is EV batteries, modules, and packs, for the individual battery stated.

How is the EV category decided?

EV battery repair and the record applies to that category, and the record should state the vehicle category, the weight basis, and the reason the battery falls inside the definition. Articles 12 and 14 is the operative provision for the point in question, and Annex XIII sets the passport content where a passport applies. An authorised repairer replacing a faulty module in an EV pack should not assume that a traction battery for another vehicle type follows the same entry. A module replacement should record the old module identifier, the new module identifier, the torque and connection checks, the insulation test, and the post repair functional test, each dated and linked to the pack identifier.

How are model and individual layers kept separate?

For EV battery repair and the record, the record should keep the two layers separate, with a link from the individual record to the model record. The work order, parts record, test results, and passport update for a model value should name the test or calculation method and the date, while evidence for an individual value should name the measurement, the date, and the source system, such as the battery management system. Access to repair and maintenance information, including battery management system data, is addressed in the Regulation for specified persons, and the record should state the information source used for the repair, without claiming access that was not available.

How are performance values stated?

For EV battery repair and the record, a capacity value, a power value, a cycle life value, or a capacity retention value should state the test conditions, the reference temperature, the charge and discharge rates, and the end point used. An authorised repairer replacing a faulty module in an EV pack should record which requirement applies to the EV battery in question and which requirement does not, with the article reference. A module replacement should record the old module identifier, the new module identifier, the torque and connection checks, the insulation test, and the post repair functional test, each dated and linked to the pack identifier.

How is use phase information recorded?

For EV battery repair and the record, state of health, cycle count, temperature history, and fault history, where recorded, should be tied to the unique identifier and dated, so a later reader can see the sequence. The work order, parts record, test results, and passport update should include the data extraction date and the version of the software or method used, where that information is available. Access to repair and maintenance information, including battery management system data, is addressed in the Regulation for specified persons, and the record should state the information source used for the repair, without claiming access that was not available.

How are repair and second life operations distinguished?

For EV battery repair and the record, the record should name the operation, the operator who carried it out, the date, the parts changed, and the tests applied after the operation. An authorised repairer replacing a faulty module in an EV pack should check whether a new passport, a linked passport, or an updated passport is required for the operation, and should record the reasoning. A module replacement should record the old module identifier, the new module identifier, the torque and connection checks, the insulation test, and the post repair functional test, each dated and linked to the pack identifier.

How is access and handover handled?

For EV battery repair and the record, the passport access rules in Article 77 set different levels for the public, for persons with a legitimate interest, and for authorities and notified bodies, and the record should not promise wider access than the Regulation allows. Access to repair and maintenance information, including battery management system data, is addressed in the Regulation for specified persons, and the record should state the information source used for the repair, without claiming access that was not available. An authorised repairer replacing a faulty module in an EV pack should retain the handover record with the identifier, so a later dispute can be traced to a dated transfer.

How is one repair audited from fault to test?

Auditing one repair starts with the fault record: the symptom, the diagnostic codes, and the inspection notes. The work order is then read for the operation, the parts, and the operator, and the parts identifiers are checked against the pack. The post repair tests are read for the functional test, the insulation test, and the safety checks, each with a result and a date. A worked audit for a module replacement shows the old and new module identifiers, the connection checks, and the test results, with the auditor and date. A repair with a fault record and a test record, but no parts record, is an incomplete audit, because the next holder cannot know what changed inside the pack.

Repair history is part of the battery identity, and a repair that is not recorded is a gap in the identity that the next holder will inherit.