The Digital Battery Passport is moving closer to becoming a mandatory requirement across Europe. From 18 February 2027, every electric vehicle (EV) battery, light means of transport (LMT) battery and industrial battery with a capacity greater than 2 kWh placed on the EU market or put into service must be accompanied by a Digital Battery Passport under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542.
As organisations are shifting their attention from understanding the regulation to planning its implementation, one of the most important implementation decisions is selecting the right Battery Passport platform.
At first glance, this may seem like a software procurement exercise. In reality, it is a long-term strategic decision. A Battery Passport platform will support how information is collected, managed and shared throughout a battery's lifecycle. It should also be capable of adapting as regulations evolve, technical standards mature and new digital services emerge.
Instead of asking "Which platform has the most features?", organisations may benefit more from asking:
"Which platform best supports our organisation today while remaining flexible enough for tomorrow?"
Choosing a Battery Passport platform is similar to selecting an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The software itself is important, but long-term success depends just as much on the quality of your data, the effectiveness of your business processes and the people using the system every day.
We’ve previously discussed “How To Choose a Battery Passport Platform Without Vendor Lock-In”. In this article, we’ll look into a practical way to evaluate potential platforms through three complementary perspectives:
- People – Will the platform support the way your organisation works?
- Information – Can it manage and exchange the information your organisation already holds?
- Evolution – Will it remain fit for purpose as regulations, standards and business needs continue to evolve?
Together, these perspectives provide a practical framework for making a well-informed decision.
People: Will the Platform Support the Way Your Organisation Works?
Before comparing technical capabilities, organisations should first consider who will actually use the platform.
Battery Passport information is relevant to a wide range of stakeholders across the battery value chain. Manufacturers, vehicle OEMs, logistics providers, repair workshops, second-life operators and recyclers all interact with battery information differently. Even within a single organisation, different departments have very different expectations.
For example:
- Production engineers may need manufacturing data to be uploaded automatically from production systems.
- Quality managers may review manufacturing records and inspection results.
- Compliance teams may use the platform to prepare regulatory documentation.
- Service engineers may require battery history during maintenance or diagnostics.
- IT administrators may be responsible for managing users, permissions and system integrations.
Although these users access the same platform, they all have different objectives. A successful Battery Passport platform should support existing business processes rather than require every department to change how it works.
When evaluating potential platforms, organisations should consider questions such as:
- Which departments will use the platform?
- Will suppliers, customers or external partners require access?
- How easily can user roles and permissions be managed?
- How much training will different users require?
- Will the platform simplify existing workflows or introduce unnecessary complexity?
Ultimately, technology should support people, not the other way around.
Information: Can the Platform Work with the Information You Already Have?
For many organisations, implementing a Battery Passport is less about creating new information and more about bringing together existing information.
Battery-related data is often distributed across multiple business systems, departments and supply chain partners.
For example:
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems often contain supplier information, purchase orders and product identifiers.
- Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) record production and process data.
- Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems manage engineering and design information.
- Laboratory systems store testing and validation results.
- Battery Management Systems (BMS) generate operational and performance data throughout a battery's use phase.
- Maintenance systems record inspections, repairs and software updates.
Each of these systems captures part of the battery's story.
If these systems already exchange information effectively, implementing a Digital Battery Passport becomes significantly easier. If they operate independently, introducing a new platform will often expose gaps in data quality, governance and integration rather than solving them automatically.
For this reason, organisations should evaluate how well a Battery Passport platform complements their existing digital landscape instead of assuming it will replace it.
Why APIs And Interoperability Matter for Battery Passport
One technical capability deserves particular attention: interoperability.
Battery Passport information must move securely between manufacturers, suppliers, customers, service providers, recyclers and regulatory authorities. This requires software systems that can exchange information consistently and efficiently.
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) make this possible by allowing different software platforms to communicate automatically.
Imagine that a battery serial number or production record changes within an ERP system. Without APIs, the same information may need to be entered manually into multiple applications, increasing the risk of inconsistencies and human error. Well-designed APIs reduce duplication and help maintain a reliable digital record throughout the battery's lifecycle.
Interoperability also plays an increasingly important role within the wider Digital Product Passport ecosystem. The European Commission is developing harmonised standards covering unique identifiers, APIs, data carriers and data exchange protocols to enable information sharing across sectors. Choosing a platform that supports recognised standards can therefore reduce future integration challenges while improving long-term flexibility.
Similarly, implementation guidance such as the Battery Passport Data Attribute Longlist v1.3 and technical specifications including DIN DKE SPEC 99100 provide organisations with a clearer understanding of how Battery Passport information should be structured. Together, these resources help organisations prepare for a more consistent and interoperable Battery Passport ecosystem.
When evaluating a Battery Passport platform, consider asking:
- Can it integrate with our ERP, MES and PLM systems?
- Does it support automated data exchange through well-documented APIs?
- Can additional systems be connected in the future?
- How much custom development will integration require?
- Will integration remain manageable as regulations and standards continue to evolve?
A Battery Passport platform cannot create high-quality information. It depends on high-quality information already being available.
Evolution: Will the Platform Still Meet Your Needs in Five or Ten Years?
Selecting a Battery Passport platform should not be viewed as a short-term compliance exercise. It is an investment in how your organisation will manage battery information over the coming decade.
The Battery Passport requirements introduced under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 are only one part of a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem. New delegated acts, implementing regulations and technical standards continue to shape how Battery Passports will be created, maintained and shared. Organisations should therefore expect both regulatory requirements and digital technologies to continue developing well beyond the 2027 compliance deadline.
Today's platform may initially support regulatory reporting. Over time, it may also need to support:
- Digital Twins and lifecycle modelling
- AI-assisted maintenance and diagnostics
- State of Health monitoring
- Carbon footprint reporting
- Second-life battery applications
- Circular economy services
- Future Digital Product Passport requirements
- New data-sharing initiatives across battery value chains
A platform should therefore be flexible enough to grow alongside the organisation using it. Equally important is avoiding unnecessary vendor lock-in.
When Battery Passport information becomes a critical business asset, organisations should retain control over their own data. Before selecting a platform, it is worth understanding how data can be exported, whether open standards are supported and how easily information can be transferred should business needs change in the future.
Interoperability also deserves careful consideration. A Battery Passport rarely exists in isolation. Manufacturers need to exchange information with suppliers, customers, repair organisations, recyclers and, where applicable, regulatory systems. Platforms built around recognised standards and open interfaces are generally better positioned to support these interactions than systems that rely heavily on proprietary technologies.
Useful questions to ask include:
- Can the platform adapt to future regulatory requirements?
- Does it support recognised standards and interoperable data exchange?
- Will it scale as our organisation grows?
- How are commercially sensitive data and intellectual property protected?
- Does it provide role-based access and appropriate data governance?
- Can data be exported if organisational requirements change?
- Will the platform remain relevant as new digital services emerge?
Ultimately, choosing a Battery Passport platform is not simply about purchasing software. It is about selecting an information management solution that can evolve alongside your organisation and the wider battery ecosystem.
A Practical Evaluation Framework
Every organisation will have different priorities, but three broad areas should form the basis of any platform evaluation.
Evaluation Area | Questions To Consider |
People |
|
Information |
|
Evolution |
|
There is no single platform that will suit every organisation. The right choice depends on existing systems, organisational objectives, supply chain relationships and long-term digital strategy. Check out our Battery Passport Readiness Checklist to prepare your business for the EU Battery Passport
How BASE is Contributing to Battery Passport Compliance
As organisations prepare for Digital Battery Passport implementation, choosing the right platform is only one part of the journey. Equally important is understanding how Battery Passport data should be structured, managed and exchanged across the battery value chain.
The BASE project is helping address these challenges by developing and validating interoperable Digital Battery Passport solutions that support secure data exchange, lifecycle traceability and regulatory compliance. Through collaboration between industry, research organisations and technology partners, BASE is contributing to practical approaches that enable Battery Passport implementation in real-world environments.
We’re also publishing guidance on key implementation topics, including Battery Passport data standards, interoperability, regulatory developments and information management. Resources such as "DIN DKE SPEC 99100 Explained: The Technical Standard Behind Battery Passport Data Fields," "Battery Passport Data Attribute Longlist v1.3: Which Fields Matter Now and Why," and "JTC 24 Standards Explained For Battery Passport Teams" provide additional context for organisations developing future-ready Battery Passport strategies.
Final Thoughts
The Digital Battery Passport represents a significant step towards greater transparency, traceability and sustainability across the battery value chain. Choosing the right platform is therefore about much more than meeting a regulatory deadline.
A successful platform should support the people who use it, integrate with the information your organisation already manages and remain flexible enough to adapt as technology, standards and regulations continue to evolve.
By evaluating platforms through the perspectives of People, Information and Evolution, organisations can make more informed decisions while reducing the risk of costly migrations, fragmented data and unnecessary vendor lock-in in the years ahead.
The BASE project has received funding from the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON) Research and Innovation Actions under grant agreement No. 101157200.
References
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 concerning batteries and waste batteries (EUR-Lex): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1542/oj
- European Commission – Digital Product Passport: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market/digital-product-passport_en
- European Commission – Batteries and Digital Product Passport: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market/digital-product-passport/batteries_en
- BASE Project – Battery Passport Data Attribute Longlist v1.3: Which Data Fields Matter Most Today?: https://base-batterypassport.com/blog/regulations-4/battery-passport-data-attribute-longlist-v1-3-126
- BASE Project – How To Choose a Battery Passport Platform Without Vendor Lock-In: https://base-batterypassport.com/blog/blog-3/how-to-choose-battery-passport-platform-124