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The digital battery passport is coming — and with it new requirements for data quality and transparency throughout the supply chain. Especially for the bicycle industry, where e-bikes have long been standard, it is crucial to set the right course early on.
But what exactly is behind the battery passport? How does it specifically affect the bicycle industry? And what role does a PIM system play in implementation? In this article, we'll give you an overview and show you how VeloPIM helps e-bike manufacturers comply with the new requirements.
What is the digital battery passport?
The digital battery passport is an electronic file that documents comprehensive information about the origin, composition, performance and CO₂ footprint of a battery. The EU is thus pursuing the goal of improving the sustainability and traceability of batteries over their entire life cycle for both companies and consumers.
From February 18, 2027, the digital battery passport will be mandatory for certain new batteries placed on the market — including those in e-bikes. The battery passport is part of the EU battery regulation, which has been in force since August 2023 and is the first sectoral EU regulation to require the mandatory introduction of a digital product passport.
The DIN DKE SPEC 99100 serves as a guide for companies and includes all requirements for the battery passport data attributes, such as:
Data access for all relevant stakeholders, such as consumers, retailers, partners and authorities, should primarily take place via a QR code on the battery.
How relevant is the digital battery passport for the bicycle industry?
With the introduction of battery passports, the bicycle industry is facing new regulatory requirements, particularly in the area of e-bikes. This is because they are equipped with so-called “LMT batteries” (Light Means of Transport), which will be subject to the obligation to provide a digital battery passport from February 2027.
In future, manufacturers and importers of e-bikes will have to provide comprehensive data on every built-in battery. In addition, information on use, maintenance and disposal is also part of the passport. This presents companies with not only technical but also organizational challenges: The data must be maintained centrally, kept up to date and made available in a standardized manner.
A particular challenge is that the responsibility for issuing the battery passport lies with whoever first places the battery on the EU market. Depending on the business model, bicycle brands depend on their suppliers to provide the necessary information in the required depth and quality. At the same time, there is growing pressure to digitize processes, to efficiently design data flows and to be able to document them transparently in the long term.
How can a PIM system support the implementation of the digital battery passport?
Current and complete data is the basis for efficient implementation of the battery passport standard — and this is exactly where the strength of a Product Information Management System (PIM) lies. A PIM system such as VeloPIM provides the technological requirements to manage all relevant information about batteries centrally, in a structured and up-to-date manner.
Instead of manually compiling information from various Excel spreadsheets, emails, or supplier portals, manufacturers can use a PIM system to maintain all product and battery data in a single source of truth — including technical specifications, guarantees of origin, certificates and lifecycle data.
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As a bicycle-specific PIM system, VeloPIM supports e-bike manufacturers primarily with:
- A bicycle (parts) -specific data scheme, in which battery specifications can also be shown in detail.
- Flexible interfaces to supplier and third-party systems to automatically import data and keep it up to date.
- Validation and approval processes, which ensure data quality and completeness.
- Export features to make data available to external platforms and partners.
Another benefit:
Central data storage enables companies to react more quickly to new regulatory requirements, make internal processes more efficient and at the same time increase transparency with trade partners and end users.
→ Especially with regard to the digital battery passport a PIM system is therefore a key solution — not only for technical implementation, but also for a sustainable and future-proof data strategy.