Capacity labelling

Capacity labelling states the capacity of a rechargeable portable battery, an LMT battery, or an SLI battery on the battery itself, under Article 13(2) of Regulation (EU) 2023/1542. Capacity is a measured value, not a design intention, and the label value must match the test record for the battery model. The record must state the unit, the test method, the conditions, and the rounding rule, because the same battery can show different capacity figures under different conditions. The label applies from the later of 18 August 2026 or 18 months after the implementing act on harmonised specifications enters into force. A capacity figure copied from a sales specification without a test basis is not a label value.

Capacity, in this record, means the electrical charge or energy that a battery can deliver under stated conditions, expressed in the unit and under the method in the test record. The scope is rechargeable portable batteries, LMT batteries, and SLI batteries.

What is the legal frame for this marking?

Capacity labelling is a physical marking duty and a record duty at the same time. A test engineer approving a capacity value for an LMT battery label should work from the current consolidated text and check whether an implementing act on harmonised label specifications has entered into force, since Article 13 sets some dates by reference to that act. An LMT battery with a rated capacity in ampere hours should show the label value, the test rate, the temperature, and the end point voltage, so a retest can reproduce the figure within the stated tolerance.

How are content, placement, and legibility checked?

Content asks whether every required element for capacity labelling is present and correct for the battery category. The capacity test report, method note, and label artwork should include a photograph or a retained sample label, the artwork version, and the approval date, tied to the battery model. Rated capacity, nominal capacity, and minimum capacity are different statements, and the label should use the term and the basis that the Regulation and the test method require, with the basis recorded.

How does category decide content?

Category decides content. For capacity labelling, the record should state the category as defined in Article 3, list the label elements that apply to that category, and list the elements that do not apply, with the reason. A test engineer approving a capacity value for an LMT battery label should be careful where a battery could fall into more than one description, and should record the reasoning for the category chosen. An LMT battery with a rated capacity in ampere hours should show the label value, the test rate, the temperature, and the end point voltage, so a retest can reproduce the figure within the stated tolerance.

How are measurement and wording recorded?

For capacity labelling, a capacity value, a chemistry statement, or a duration value should name the test method, the conditions, and the unit, so the same battery tested again gives a comparable result. The capacity test report, method note, and label artwork should include the test report or the calculation sheet, the date, and the person or function that approved the value. Rated capacity, nominal capacity, and minimum capacity are different statements, and the label should use the term and the basis that the Regulation and the test method require, with the basis recorded.

What sits behind the marking in the documentation?

For capacity labelling, the declaration should identify the battery, the Regulation, and the conformity assessment procedure followed, and the technical documentation should support each marked claim. A test engineer approving a capacity value for an LMT battery label should check that the declaration date, the battery model, and the marking version are consistent, and that a change to the battery that affects conformity leads to a review of the documentation. An LMT battery with a rated capacity in ampere hours should show the label value, the test rate, the temperature, and the end point voltage, so a retest can reproduce the figure within the stated tolerance.

How is a marking checked line by line?

For capacity labelling, a checker should compare the physical marking, the QR code destination, the passport entry where a passport applies, the declaration of conformity, and the technical documentation, line by line, and record each comparison with a pass, a fail, or a query. The capacity test report, method note, and label artwork for the check should include the date, the sample identifier, and the version of each document compared. A test engineer approving a capacity value for an LMT battery label should keep failed checks on file with the corrective action, the new artwork or record version, and the recheck date. Rated capacity, nominal capacity, and minimum capacity are different statements, and the label should use the term and the basis that the Regulation and the test method require, with the basis recorded.

How is a label capacity value rebuilt from a test?

Rebuilding a label value starts with the test report: the test rate, the temperature, the end point voltage, and the measured capacity in ampere hours or watt hours. The value is then converted to the label unit, rounded under the stated rounding rule, and compared with the artwork. A worked example shows a measured capacity, a conversion, a rounding step, and a label value, each with the unit stated. If the test was run at a different rate from the label method, the value is not rebuilt; the test is repeated under the label method, or the label method is corrected in the record. A capacity value that cannot be rebuilt from a test report is a value without a basis, and the label should not carry it.

A capacity label is a test result in public form, and a label value without a test record behind it cannot be defended when it is questioned.