Video: First EV battery ‘passport’ offered

An initiative led by the Battery Innovation Hub (BIH), a Battery Industry Group (BIG) working group, Vector and Audi have collaborated with Everledger to develop a world leading ‘battery passport’.

It’s a circular economy-principled battery traceability platform, designed by digital transparency company Everledger to offer critical at-a-glance information about each electric battery, including serial number, state of health and ownership transfer data that can be passed on to each new owner until the battery reaches the end of its life.

The initiative aims to ensure large batteries, such as those found in EVs or used in renewable energy storage, are tracked through each stage of their circular life cycle, then managed and disposed of responsibly.

The number of large batteries is forecast to increase dramatically during coming years because of the growing EV fleet and their use in electricity storage such as solar. 

Large batteries have been identified within e-waste as one of the six priority products identified by the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment requiring a regulated product stewardship scheme.

BIG, a collaboration of more than 170 businesses across energy, transport, waste, and battery sectors with large batteries in their value chain, has drafted a proposed product stewardship scheme for large batteries. 

“The BIH was able to inform the proposed scheme by testing real-world scenarios with members such as Audi and Vector; the battery passport is a leading example of this collaboration,” BIH chair Jo Phillips says.

“Acceleration events are occurring around the globe, whether it be in digital trade, commodities exchange, sustainability, provenance or traceability.

Everledger chief executive Leanne Kemp says the sprint towards 2030 and a net zero 2050 has taken a fast march towards rapid formation of industry efforts and government focus.

“New battery technologies, enhanced supply chain traceability, software engineering systems and policy regulations, all of which help reduce the environmental and social impact of all batteries throughout their life cycle.”

The battery passport is a crucial move towards creating a new ‘circular’ economy for large batteries and front-footing the e-waste challenge.

Currently, most batteries are downcycled and then disposed of in landfill.

Vector chief public policy and regulatory officer Mark Toner says Vector’s involvement is one of the business’s “carbon handprint” initiatives.

“This is part of our work towards enabling electrification of transport and supporting the needs of customers,” he says.

“Vector doesn’t benefit directly from carbon reduction of our footprint through this initiative, but it is a great example of how we are indirectly involved in solutions to support others and as such, it is our ‘carbon handprint’ of assistance.

“Our vision is to create a new energy future and this is one of the partnerships we have developed to drive the move towards decarbonisation.”

Research in the New Energy Futures Paper found that up to 1000 EV batteries came to the end of their lives by the end of 2020.

Predictions show this could rise to 84,000 by 2030, showing an urgent need to make changes and introduce solutions such as the battery passport.

Audi New Zealand general manager Dean Sheed says Audi is committed to a sustainable future, and being a leader in electrification.

“This focus naturally aligns with assuming the role of development partner in this new venture. We believe the lessons learned in the development of this passport can be used to establish an industry-wide programme supporting an electric and sustainable future.”