India’s Tata Technologies joined the rush last month to make digital battery passports (DBPs) standard issue for electric vehicles and industrial batteries, with the launch of WATTSync.
The cloud-based platform uses AI to monitor battery health, blockchain for data integrity, and to scale across regions.
WATTSync aligns with the European Union’s requirement for DBPs, effective as of February 2027. The regulations require batteries sold in the EU to include a digital record via a QR code containing data on material origin, carbon footprint, compliance, recycling efficiency, and more.
China has launched its own DBP initiative and is exploring extending it to resource-intensive industries such as textiles and steel. The US, the UK, Japan, Canada, and India are all progressing toward developing their own DBP standards. Notable companies that have already launched DBPs, include Bosch SDS, AVL, DENSO, Umicore, Open Battery Passport, Siemens, and BloqSens AG.
DBPs provide a comprehensive digital record of a battery’s lifecycle, from mining to recycling, ensuring compliance with the EU Battery Regulation and other relevant supply chain rules. Each DBP has three data layers: a public layer with QR codes for general information, a restricted layer with sensitive technical and sourcing data for authorized entities, and a dynamic layer that updates performance metrics.
The DPB assigns each battery a unique digital identity that tracks its lifecycle and stores data on origin, composition, performance and durability, carbon footprint, manufacturing details, and other key factors. The aim is to reduce hazardous waste and support circular economy initiatives by repurposing batteries for stationary energy storage and recycling. Requiring DBPs, as the EU is doing, addresses the increasing need for supply chain transparency in the EV industry, thereby enhancing market confidence and possibly raising the resale prices of electric cars.
The Global Battery Alliance (GBA), backed by governments and industry, first introduced the concept of the digital battery passport in January 2023 and is widely recognized as the global standard for battery transparency.