Starting from August 18, 2024, multiple new requirements in the EU's new battery law will come into effect. This includes requirements for hazardous substances, labeling, electrochemical performance and durability, battery management system requirements, safety of fixed battery energy storage systems, conformity assessment, declaration of conformity, CE marking, etc., covering all types of batteries.
Requirements for Hazardous Substances
The new EU battery law strictly restricts the use of harmful substances in batteries, with specific requirements as shown in the following figure:
Electrochemical performance and durability
Starting from August 18, 2024, all rechargeable industrial batteries, LMT batteries, and EV batteries with a capacity greater than 2kWh are required to provide electrochemical performance and durability test reports containing the required parameters to demonstrate that their products comply with EU requirements.
Label identification
All batteries with cadmium content exceeding 0.002% or lead content exceeding 0.004% must have the chemical symbol of the relevant heavy metal, Pb or Cd, printed below the individual collection symbol, which should cover at least one fourth of the area of the individual collection symbol.
Battery Management System
Starting from August 18, 2024, the battery management system for fixed energy storage systems, LMT batteries, and EV batteries should include the latest data that can be used to determine the health status and expected lifespan of the batteries.
The safety of fixed energy storage systems
Starting from August 18, 2024, fixed energy storage systems are required to provide safety test reports using the most advanced testing methods. And it is necessary to assess potential safety hazards and retain evidence of manufacturers mitigating or mitigating risks.
Conformity Assessment and Declaration of Conformity
All batteries must undergo CE conformity assessment and draft the EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC) and prepare technical documents (including basic information, production processes, labels, test reports, etc.) in accordance with the requirements of the new EU Battery Law.
CE mark
Starting from August 18, 2024, batteries need to be affixed with the CE mark before being put on the market or put into use. The CE mark should be prominently, clearly, and irreversibly affixed to the battery. If the size or nature of the battery does not allow it, it should be affixed to the packaging or accompanying documents of the battery.
entry-into-force time
Starting from February 18, 2025, EV batteries are required to draft a carbon footprint statement;
Starting from February 18, 2026, rechargeable industrial batteries with a capacity greater than 2kWh (excluding industrial batteries specifically designed for external energy storage) are required to draft a carbon footprint statement;
Starting from August 18, 2027, LMT batteries are required to draft a carbon footprint statement;
Starting from August 18, 2030, rechargeable industrial batteries with a capacity greater than 2kWh (industrial batteries with external energy storage) are required to draft a carbon footprint statement.
