German Consortium to develop a battery passport for Europe

A consortium funded by German automakers and battery producers, including BMW, BASF, and Umicore, will create a “battery passport” that traces batteries’ carbon footprint and contents in Europe, Germany’s economy ministry announced.

The 11-member Consortium has received 8.2 million euros ($8.78 million) of government funding to develop common standards and classification for gathering and disclosing data on the batteries, which could become mandatory under European Union regulations.

A European Commission proposal due to be discussed in late 2022 stated that rechargeable electric vehicles, industrial, and light transport batteries sold in Europe must disclose their carbon footprint in 2024 and comply with a carbon dioxide emissions limit from 2027.

The proposal states that the battery makers must also disclose the content of recycled raw materials in their batteries from 2027, followed by requirements to use a minimum share of recycled nickel, cobalt, lithium, and lead from 2030.

The German economic ministry said the German-funded Consortium is the first project in Europe to attempt to design a digital product to meet the regulations of the European Commission.

The Consortium’s digital tool should make recycling raw materials inside batteries easier, which would cut dependence on foreign suppliers that control the vast majority of resources, such as nickel and lithium, essential for EV battery production, the German government statement said.