EU Battery Passport: What E-Bike and Lithium Battery Exporters Need Before February 2027
The EU Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) has applied in stages since 18 February 2024 and covers every battery placed on the EU market, including batteries built into products. The key date is 18 February 2027: every light means of transport (LMT) battery, every industrial battery over 2 kWh and every electric vehicle battery must have a "battery passport" — a digital data set linked through a QR code. Batteries in e-bikes and e-scooters are LMT batteries, so e-bike and battery pack exporters, including those in Taiwan, are directly affected.
Also known as: EU Battery Regulation, battery passport, EU battery passport, digital battery passport, Regulation (EU) 2023/1542
Timeline
- 2024-02-18Applies (CE marking, labelling, hazardous-substance restrictions and more phased in step by step)
- 2027-02-18Battery passport required for EV batteries, industrial batteries over 2 kWh, and light means of transport (LMT, including e-bike) batteries
Industries affected
- E-bikes and e-scooters
- The battery in a complete e-bike (8711 60) is an LMT battery and needs a battery passport from 2027-02-18.
- Lithium cells and battery packs
- 8507 60 is directly covered; batteries exported on their own also need CE marking and a declaration of conformity.
- Electric scooters and motorcycles
- Depending on battery weight and use, classed as LMT or EV batteries — both need a passport.
- Energy storage systems
- Industrial batteries over 2 kWh need a passport, plus a carbon footprint declaration.
- Consumer products containing batteries
- Labelling, hazardous substance limits and removability requirements apply, but no battery passport is needed.
What your EU buyer will ask for
- CE Declaration of Conformity and technical documentation for the battery
- From 2027-02-18: a battery passport (a QR code linking to the battery's data set)
- Carbon footprint declaration and recycled content (phased in by battery category)
What to do now
- Confirm which category your battery falls into (portable, LMT, industrial, EV, SLI) — the category decides which articles and dates apply.
- Ask your cell supplier for data: chemistry, capacity, manufacturer and date, carbon footprint. Most of the passport data comes from upstream.
- Plan where the QR code goes and who maintains the data behind it — the passport must stay accessible for the whole life of the battery.
- Handle the shipping side too: lithium batteries are Class 9 dangerous goods — see the dangerous goods page.
Battery specifications and passport link on your product data, carried into quotations and shipping documents. This part is still in development and not yet available.
FAQ
What category is an e-bike battery?
A light means of transport (LMT) battery: sealed, weighing 25 kg or less, and designed to provide traction to wheeled vehicles. E-bikes and e-scooters both qualify. LMT batteries need a battery passport from 18 February 2027.
What is a battery passport and who has to make it?
A digital data set recording the battery's model, chemistry, capacity, manufacturing information, carbon footprint, recycled content and more, accessed through a QR code on the battery. The obligation sits with the economic operator placing the battery on the EU market; if the battery ships inside your complete vehicle, your buyer will come to you for this data.
Is the battery passport the same as the Digital Product Passport (DPP)?
The battery passport is the first digital product passport to go live, and its legal basis is the Battery Regulation. Passports for other products (steel, aluminium, textiles, tyres, furniture) are set separately under ESPR, on a later timeline. The technical architecture is shared, so the battery passport is seen as the pilot case for the DPP.
I only sell complete e-bikes and buy the batteries from someone else. Does this apply to me?
Yes. When the complete bike enters the EU, the battery inside must also comply. You may not be the one who creates the passport, but you need to make sure your battery supplier can provide the passport and CE documents, and pass that data on to your buyer with the bike.
Legal sources
This page is based on the original EU legal texts, verified on 2026-09-21. The rules are still being amended and we review them monthly. HS classification is subject to customs rulings. This guide is meant to help you understand where you stand and is not legal advice — please confirm your actual obligations with your EU buyer and customs broker.