What data goes into the battery passport?
The digital battery passport under EU Regulation 2023/1542 is not a label - it is a structured dataset with roughly ninety mandatory fields. This guide shows which data belongs in it, who is allowed to see it and how it becomes accessible through the QR code.
- The battery passport is a dataset, not a sticker. Article 77 and Annex XIII define around 90 mandatory fields - from cell chemistry to carbon footprint.
- Not every field is public. The regulation tiers the data into three access levels: public, legitimate interest, and authorities only.
- One QR code per unit links to the passport. Built as a GS1 Digital Link and following DIN DKE SPEC 99100 - machine- and human-readable at once.
- The data comes from the supply chain. Recycled content, due diligence and material lists usually come from suppliers - data collection is the real effort.
What a battery passport looks like
From February 2027, every in-scope battery receives a unique dataset reachable via a QR code on the housing. A simplified example:
One dataset, three views
The passport bundles all mandatory data of a model and each unit in one place. Consumers scan the QR code and see the public fields; recyclers and authorities receive deeper data through an authorisation.
The unique product code points to a decentralised, interoperable infrastructure (Catena-X, Asset Administration Shell) - not to a PDF file.
- Unique identifier per unit
- Public and protected data rooms
- Machine-readable for market surveillance
The eight data categories in Annex XIII
Annex XIII of Regulation 2023/1542 groups the mandatory information into eight blocks. The right-hand column shows who may access each block by default.
| Data category | Typical fields | Access |
|---|---|---|
| General battery & manufacturer info | Manufacturer, battery category, model, place & date of manufacture, weight, unique identifier | Public |
| Carbon footprint | Total footprint (kg CO₂e/kWh), value per life-cycle stage, performance class A–G | Public |
| Recycled & renewable content | Recycled share of cobalt, lithium, nickel and lead; share of renewable energy | Public |
| Performance & durability | Rated capacity, internal resistance, energy efficiency, expected lifetime, State of Health (SoH) | Legitimate |
| Composition | Chemistry, critical raw materials, hazardous substances, cell chemistry & material list | Legitimate |
| Dismantling & safety | Dismantling instructions, safety data sheet, fire class, spare-part & repair information | Legitimate |
| Supply-chain due diligence | Public due-diligence report on cobalt, lithium, nickel and natural graphite | Public |
| Conformity & circularity | Declaration of conformity, test reports, collection & recycling evidence, certificates | Authorities |
Simplified view. Individual fields within a category may carry different access levels - the regulation text prevails (Annex XIII, Art. 77–78).
Who is allowed to see which data?
The battery passport is deliberately not an all-or-nothing document. The regulation distinguishes three access levels so that trade secrets stay protected while consumers remain informed.
Everyone via QR scan
General information, carbon footprint, recycled and renewable content, the due-diligence report, plus basic safety and recycling guidance.
Professionals & recyclers
Persons with a legitimate interest and the EU Commission: detailed composition, dismantling instructions and full performance & ageing data.
Surveillance & notified bodies
Market surveillance, notified bodies and the Commission: full test reports, conformity evidence and the deepest supply-chain data.
The most prominent public field
The carbon footprint is one of the most prominent public fields. It is calculated per model across the full life cycle and later mapped to a performance class A–G.
Classes A – G
Comparable to the energy label. The field requires a verified value - estimated figures without evidence are not enough.
Recycled raw materials per metal
The passport declares, per contained metal, the share from recycled sources. From 2031 binding minimum values apply - the dataset must provide the evidence.
Minimum values under Art. 8 of the regulation. From 2036 the quotas rise further - the passport must make the origin of recyclates verifiable.
How the data reaches the battery
The link between the physical battery and the digital passport is a QR code on the housing. It carries a unique product identifier and is built as a GS1 Digital Link - so the same URL resolves for humans and for machines (market surveillance, recycler systems) alike. All labelling details are covered in the guide QR codes on batteries from 2027.
Standard basis: DIN DKE SPEC 99100
The German specification DIN DKE SPEC 99100 defines the data model of the battery passport - which fields must exist in which format. Together with the GS1 Digital Link and interoperable standards such as Catena-X, this produces a machine-readable, EU-wide uniform passport. The regulation text remains authoritative (Art. 77, Annex XIII).
The real effort: collecting the data
Most mandatory fields do not live in your own house but in the supply chain. Three steps lead from raw data to a compliant passport:
Request material lists, recycled-content shares and carbon-footprint values from cell and component suppliers and capture them in a structured way.
Check values for completeness and plausibility, link evidence and certificates - verified data instead of estimates.
Serialise the passport per unit, generate the QR code and publish the right fields into the appropriate access level.
Sources & further reading
See in 90 seconds which data fields apply to your product.
The eligibility check shows which category, access levels and data fields are relevant for your battery - and how to start the data collection in a structured way.