Passport Questions for Buyers of Batteries

A buyer question set for the battery passport works when each question names the field that answers it, the tier that contains the field and the evidence that the seller should produce, so that the seller can answer precisely and the buyer can record the answer with a date. A question set that asks only whether the passport is good, or whether the battery is good, will receive a general answer that cannot be recorded or checked, while a question set that names fields, tiers and evidence will receive answers that form a purchase file. The questions in this guide are organised in the identity first order used across this site, so that identity is settled before dates, dates before status, and status before performance, and no later answer is trusted until the earlier answers pass.

The scope is buyer questions for batteries within Article 77, as checked on 28 October 2026. For batteries outside that duty, the same questions can be asked of any voluntary record, with the passport specific items marked as not applicable.

What identity questions should a buyer ask?

Identity questions should ask for the unique battery identifier in the passport, the identifier associated with the physical battery, the model identifier, the category and the chemistry, with the seller asked to show the identifier match rather than to state it. The buyer should record each identity answer as matched, mismatched or not available, with the evidence seen, and should pause the purchase discussion on any mismatch until the mismatch is explained with documents. A seller who can show the match, with the battery, the record and the documents open together, gives a buyer a single identity to rely on, while a seller who can only state the match leaves the buyer to trust a statement that cannot be checked later. The identity questions are first because every later question assumes identity.

What date and history questions should a buyer ask?

Date and history questions should ask for the date of first placing on the market, the dates of later entries, the date of the newest entry, and the explanation for any interval with no entries, with the seller asked to show the dated entries in order. The buyer should record the dates as copied from the record, measure the intervals, and state the limit of the record, namely that it describes the battery up to the newest entry date. A seller who can show a dated sequence with no unexplained break gives a buyer a history to read, while a seller who can show only a single recent entry leaves the buyer with a history that starts late. The date questions decide how much history the buyer is actually buying.

What status and performance questions should a buyer ask?

Status and performance questions should ask for the status entry, any change of status, any preparation for reuse or repurposing, any refurbishment or remanufacturing, and the dated performance entries with their methods, with the seller asked to show the status sequence and the performance trajectory in order. The buyer should read the status before the performance figures, because the same figure means different things for an original battery and for a repurposed battery, and should ask for the supporting evaluation where a status change or a performance claim rests on a test. A seller who can show status, method and trajectory together gives a buyer a performance reading that can be judged, while a seller who can show only a single figure gives a buyer a number without context.

What does a buyer question table look like?

A buyer question table shows the question, the field, the tier and the evidence, so that the purchase file can be completed question by question. The table below sets out the structure, using general questions.

What document questions should a buyer ask?

Document questions should ask for the invoice or contract for the last transfer, any state of health evaluation, any repair or refurbishment documentation, and any test report that the seller holds, with each document recorded by date, author and identifier. The buyer should ask for documents that name the battery by identifier, and should flag any document that names a different identifier or no identifier, because an unmatched document adds little to the file. The buyer should also record documents that were asked for but not produced, because an unproduced document is a fact about the file. A purchase file that contains the record reading and the documents, kept together, is stronger than a file that contains either alone.

What should a buyer do when an answer is unclear?

When an answer is unclear, a buyer should record the question, the answer as given, the reason why it is unclear, and the follow up asked, rather than proceeding as if the answer were clear. An unclear identity answer should pause the purchase, an unclear date answer should limit reliance to the newest dated entry, and an unclear status answer should trigger a request for the work description behind the status label. The buyer should also consider an independent inspection or test where the unclear answer concerns present condition, because the passport cannot answer present condition questions that arise after the newest entry. A purchase that proceeds despite an unclear answer should record the choice and the reason, so that a later reader can see that the uncertainty was known.

What limits apply to buyer questions?

The limits are that questions cannot create evidence, and a complete set of answers is a reading record, not a warranty. This guide gives general educational information only and is not individual legal advice. A buyer with a specific purchase should check the Regulation text as checked on 28 October 2026 before acting.