Digital Battery Passport (DPP)
From 18 February 2027, the digital battery passport is mandatory in the EU for LMT batteries, industrial batteries above 2 kWh and electric vehicle batteries. It makes every Annex XIII data point, from the CO₂ footprint to raw material origin, transparent and verifiable.
Market Context: Austria & EU
What is the Digital Battery Passport?
The digital battery passport is an electronic record tied to one specific battery, from an electric car to an e-bike. It holds everything relevant about that battery's origin, composition, carbon footprint, performance and condition across its whole life cycle.
The legal basis is the EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, in force since August 2023 and replacing the old Battery Directive 2006/66/EC. It is the first EU-wide binding transparency duty covering every battery category.
The passport is reached through a QR code on the battery and carries every Annex XIII data point, structured in 13 groups (A–M). Access differs per data point: public data for everyone, technical detail for persons with a legitimate interest such as repairers and recyclers, authority documents for market surveillance and notified bodies only, and data on the individual battery again for persons with a legitimate interest.
Battery passport and Digital Product Passport (ESPR)
The battery passport rests on the Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542. Alongside it, the EU Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR) governs product passports for further product groups, such as textiles, furniture and tyres. The central EU registry has been live since 20 July 2026 (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1778); the Commission provides a test environment, technical documentation and an API. Battery passports can be registered there from 18 February 2027.
Timeline & Obligations
The key milestones of the EU Battery Regulation
EU Battery Regulation enters into force
Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 enters into force, replacing the old Battery Directive 2006/66/EC in full.
Carbon footprint declaration
Electric vehicle batteries need a carbon footprint declaration covering the life cycle. Rechargeable industrial batteries above 2 kWh and LMT batteries follow later.
Central EU registry (DPP registry)
Art. 77(10) requires the identifier of every passport to be uploaded to the central EU registry. The registry has been live since 20 July 2026 (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1778), with the Commission's test environment, technical documentation and API. Battery passports can be registered from 18 February 2027. What is overdue is the implementing act on access rights under Art. 77(9) (deadline 18 August 2026).
Battery passport becomes mandatory
The digital battery passport becomes mandatory for LMT batteries, industrial batteries above 2 kWh and electric vehicle batteries. A QR code on the battery is required.
Carbon footprint performance classes
Batteries will have to state a carbon footprint performance class 18 months after the Commission has defined the classes (Art. 7(2)). That act is still missing for industrial and vehicle batteries. After that, the class also counts in public tenders.
Data Points in 13 Groups
Structured per DIN DKE SPEC 99100 (groups A to M), access per Annex XIII points 1 to 4 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1542
Manufacturer & model
Manufacturer, cell chemistry, weight, hazardous substances
Carbon footprint
Carbon footprint (kg CO₂e/kWh); performance class once the EU has defined it
Circularity
Recycled content of cobalt, lithium, nickel; renewable energy
Raw material origin
Country of origin for cobalt, lithium, nickel; due diligence
Technical characteristics
Capacity, voltage, charge/discharge power, service life
Conformity & safety
CE marking, EU declaration of conformity, disposal
Passport ID
Battery UID, QR code, standards applied
Material detail
Cathode chemistry, disassembly sequence (for repairers)
Authority documents
Test reports, conformity evidence (authorities only)
Current performance
Capacity fade, power fade, internal resistance (live)
State of health (SoH)
Certified state of energy, remaining capacity (live)
Battery life history
Energy throughput, deep discharges, temperature extremes (live)
Real-time operating data
Current status, charging cycles, negative events (live)
Differentiated Access Rights
The EU Regulation distinguishes four access levels. Not all data is accessible to everyone.
Public (Groups A–F, M)
Manufacturer, CO₂ footprint, recycled content, raw material origin, technical specifications, certification and passport ID. Freely accessible, no registration required. Forms the comparison baseline for buyers.
Restricted (Group G)
Detailed material composition, disassembly sequence. Accessible to workshops, repair shops and second-life processors with legitimate interest.
Authorities (Group H)
Test reports and conformity certificates. Accessible only to notified bodies, market surveillance authorities and the Commission (Annex XIII point 3).
Individual (Groups I–L)
Data on the individual battery: State of Health, usage history, charge cycles, temperature profile. Accessible to persons with a legitimate interest, such as repairers, remanufacturers, second-life operators and recyclers (Annex XIII point 4).
What does this mean for buyers?
The Battery Passport gives buyers legally secured transparency for the first time.
Transparency before buying
The public passport data (groups A–F and M) are free for buyers to read, before the purchase decision.
Check the state of health
Buying used: state of health (SoH) and usage history are readable from the QR code.
Compare carbon classes
Every battery's carbon footprint is measurable and comparable. Class A is markedly cleaner than E.
Recycling on the record
Recycled content of cobalt, lithium and nickel must be declared, so greenwashing becomes checkable.
Obligations for Manufacturers & Importers
Creating the passport
The economic operator placing the battery on the market (manufacturer, importer or distributor) is responsible for the passport being complete and correct.
Data availability
Passport data must stay reachable for at least 10 years after the last unit of that battery model batch was placed on the market.
QR code duty
Every battery that needs a passport carries a QR code that links straight to it.
Duty to update
Dynamic data (state of health, charging cycles) must be updated regularly, static data on every change.
EU registry access
Art. 77(10) requires registration in the central EU registry. The registry has been live since 20 July 2026, and the Commission provides a test environment, technical documentation and an API. Battery passports can be registered from 18 February 2027.
Recycling collection rates
Portable batteries: 63 % collection by the end of 2027 (today 49 %), 73 % by 2030. LMT batteries: 51 % by 2028, 61 % by 2031.
Material recovery
Lithium: 50 % by the end of 2027, 80 % by the end of 2031. Cobalt, copper, lead and nickel: 90 % and 95 % respectively. There is no recovery target for graphite (Annex XII Part C).
Sanctions
EU member states set their own sanctions. Non-conforming batteries can be excluded from the EU market.
Compare passport data now
Sustainista provides Battery Passport data for all listed electric vehicles, with completeness indicator, CO₂ class and State of Health.
Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2023 (Battery Regulation), EUR-Lex · EN 18216, 18219, 18220, 18221, 18222, 18223 (edition 2026-08-01) · prEN 18239, prEN 18246 (drafts) · DKE SPEC 99100. How we implement this, and what does not work yet, is on the transparency page.