🌱 What is a battery passport?
A battery passport is in essence a type of “supply-chain tracker”. It provides an insight into the raw materials and components used to produce a battery. Typically, the battery composition, the origin of the materials and components, the proportion of recycled content used, and the carbon footprint of the production are covered. Optimally, the processing locations for critical raw materials, as well as any labour and human rights issues that may arise within the supply chain, are also included. The overall aim of battery passports is to improve sustainable and responsible procurement practices and to create more transparency in complex supply chains.
🌱 How are battery passports relevant for the secondary market?
Battery passports can be used to track “battery health over time” and are therefore particularly relevant for the used car market. Rather than merely having to base their decisions on milage, consumers buying used EVs can use battery passports to see “how the battery was cycled over its life”. The life cycle data and battery health included in battery passports can also improve battery recyclability.
🌱 Are battery passports mandatory?
As of February 2027, battery passports will be mandatory for all EVs sold in the EU. While the U.S. currently has no specific regulation that requires battery passports, the passports can provide more “traceability to prove [batteries] qualify for EV subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act”. There are several international efforts around battery passports currently underway, meaning that the passports may become an international standard over time.
🌱 What will Volvo’s battery passport look like?
As of the second half of this year, Volvo will be launching a battery passport for its “EX90 SUV” EV car model. This passport is considered to be the world’s first EV battery passport offered by an EV manufacturer. Volvo developed the battery passport together with the British startup, Circulor over the course of six years. In the future, EV owners can access a simplified version of Volvo’s passport by scanning a QR code on the inside of the driver’s door. A more detailed version of the passport will be provided to regulators. Going forward, Volvo also plans to gradually roll out battery passports for all its other EV models. Notably, these passports will also provide “information on the EV battery’s health”. The battery passports “cost Volvo approximately $10 per car for 15 years”.
🌱 What information is entailed in Volvo’s battery passport?
Volvo’s battery passport “contains verified data on raw materials [such as cobalt, lithium and nickel], their origins, weight and size, the chain of custody of components and recycled content inside the battery of its EVs”. It also includes information on the carbon footprint and “up-to-date information on the battery’s state of health”. Circulor uses an AI-based system and blockchain technology that “traces battery materials from the mine to individual cars” by “piggybacking on suppliers' production systems”. To calculate the total carbon footprint, the system checks the suppliers' monthly energy bills and the percentage of renewable energy used. When a new supplier is added, Circulor runs an audit to update the information going into the passport.
💡 Are you interested in learning more about the life cycle of an EV battery? Then, have a look at the interactive visual on Palsa & Pulk’s website.
Read more about Volvo’s battery passport here:
- https://www.wsj.com/articles/volvo-says-users-can-track-source-of-battery-metals-in-its-evs-54f6e4f7
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/volvos-battery-passport-seeks-improve-ev-supply-chain-accountability
- https://spectrum.ieee.org/volvo-ex90-battery-passport
- https://chargedevs.com/newswire/volvo-issues-ev-battery-passport-3-years-ahead-of-eu-requirements/
- https://www.electrive.com/2024/06/05/volvo-pioneers-battery-passport/
- https://newmobility.news/2024/06/06/volvo-introduces-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport/
- https://electrek.co/2024/06/04/volvo-ex90-launch-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport/
- https://decarbonisationnews.com/2024/06/volvo-to-launch-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport/
- https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/volvo-battery-passport-ev-car
- https://www.drive.com.au/news/volvo-to-launch-world-first-electric-vehicle-battery-passport-report/
- https://www.cbtnews.com/volvo-cars-introduces-a-battery-passport-to-track-metals-in-ev-batteries/
- https://www.bestmag.co.uk/volvo-launch-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport/
- https://www.dsf.my/2024/06/volvo-set-to-issue-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport-ahead-of-eu-rules/
- https://www.tipranks.com/news/a-global-first-volvo-introduces-passports-for-ev-batteries
- https://www.autocarpro.in/news/volvo-to-launch-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport-report--120895
- https://www.team-bhp.com/news/volvo-ex90-be-worlds-first-ev-have-battery-passport
- https://news.am/eng/news/827520.html
- https://www.arenaev.com/volvo_ex90_will_have_worlds_first_battery_passport-news-3603.php