• Volvo introduces a passport for electric vehicle batteries, ahead of legislation that will make them mandatory in Europe.
EV manufacturing entails using a number of different natural resources. Studies indicate that in the long term, the environmental impact of an all-electric vehicle is less than that of an ICE (internal combustion engine) model, but there is an environmental footprint and it’s not insignificant, especially in the present.
Volvo, getting ahead of European legislation set to kick in in February 2027, is launching the first passport for electric vehicle batteries. This will contain information on the origins of raw materials, components, recycled content and the battery pack’s carbon footprint.
The passport is being launched with the brand's new electric SUV, the EX90, which is about to go into production at the Volvo plant in Charleston, South Carolina.
Reuters reports the news.
The passport was developed by Volvo, in partnership with British start-up Circulor. The firm uses blockchain technology (a shared, immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a corporate network) to map corporate supply chains. Circulor's system traces battery materials from the mine to installation in the vehicle. Developing the passport took five years.
Vanessa Butani, head of sustainability at Volvo, told Reuters that the introduction of the passport almost three years before its mandatory introduction is proof that Volvo is transparent with its buyers. The carmaker aims to offer only fully electric models by 2030.
Volvo owners will be able to access a simplified version of the passport using a QR code placed inside the driver's door. The passport will eventually be offered with all Volvo electric models.
Interestingly, a more detailed version of the passport will be sent to authorities. It will include up-to-date information on the battery's state of health, essential for assessing the value of vehicles on the second-hand market. The information will be kept for 15 years.
For now, the system is not planned or required for North America, but once the regulations are in place in Europe, it's likely only a matter of time before it is adopted on our continent.