Battery Passport: Paving the Way for a Transparent, Sustainable, and Secure EV Supply Chain in India
(This article is a rework of the original news published on ETAuto: Battery Passport: Transforming EV Supply Chains with Data Transparency, Security and Sustainability.)
The Indian electric vehicle (EV) industry is at a pivotal juncture, with sustainability, transparency, and security emerging as critical focal points. One of the most transformative solutions gaining traction globally, including in India, is the Battery Passport—a digital identity system designed to enhance supply chain visibility, promote ethical sourcing, and drive environmental sustainability.
Aadhaar for Batteries: The Future of EV Supply Chains
The Battery Passport, often compared to India’s Aadhaar system but for EV batteries, is more than just a regulatory tool—it’s a game-changer for the entire automotive ecosystem. At the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, Anil Radhakrishnan, Chief Product Officer at Tata Elxsi, highlighted the growing significance of digital product identity solutions in ensuring compliance, optimizing battery performance, and enabling circular economy initiatives.
While the concept has its origins in European regulatory frameworks, India is swiftly adapting it to align with its ambitious Net Zero 2070 targets. The Battery Passport serves as a unique digital profile for each battery, capturing crucial data such as origin, composition, performance metrics, and lifecycle history. This level of traceability not only ensures compliance with evolving regulatory standards but also encourages efficient recycling and reuse strategies—critical for a sustainable EV ecosystem.
Strengthening Supply Chain Resilience and Sustainability
With global supply chains facing disruptions due to geopolitical tensions and raw material shortages, the need for data-driven transparency has never been more pressing. The Battery Passport enables stakeholders across the supply chain—including battery manufacturers, automakers, and recycling firms—to trace and track a battery’s journey from raw material sourcing to disposal.
As Radhakrishnan explains, “Every stage of a battery’s lifecycle must be meticulously documented—right from where the raw materials were mined, to cell production, vehicle integration, and finally, end-of-life recycling.” Given that the battery constitutes the most expensive component of an EV, safety and cost optimization remain top priorities. By incorporating recycled materials, manufacturers can significantly reduce production costs, making EVs more accessible to Indian consumers.
Circular Economy: The Key to Affordable and Sustainable EVs
India’s EV industry is gradually shifting from a linear model (produce, use, dispose) to a circular model (produce, use, recycle, reuse). Solutions like Tata Elxsi’s MOBIUS+ Battery Passport platform are leading the charge by integrating blockchain, AI, and machine learning analytics to monitor battery health and ensure optimal performance.
Radhakrishnan emphasized, “Transitioning from 100% virgin battery materials to incorporating 20% recycled nickel could become standard practice. The ability to track battery lifecycle data will enable OEMs to make informed decisions, improving longevity and efficiency.”
However, challenges remain. With fragmented data silos, many stakeholders are hesitant to share proprietary information. Collaboration with institutions like World Resources Institute (WRI) and ThinkTanks is essential to create a secure and cooperative data-sharing ecosystem.
Optimizing India’s Battery Ecosystem with Advanced Data Analytics
A comprehensive Battery Passport system relies on two key data sets:
- Upstream Data: Includes information from mines, cell manufacturers, and battery pack producers.
- Vehicle Data: Extracted from Battery Management Systems (BMS) and connected vehicle systems.
By correlating real-time vehicle data with static supply chain data, stakeholders can predict failures, enhance design, and extend battery lifespan. Additionally, integrating Battery Passport solutions with OTA (Over-the-Air) updates and V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) applications will unlock new efficiencies, such as optimizing battery deployment in energy grids.
Beyond Compliance: A Win-Win for OEMs, Regulators, and Consumers
While regulatory compliance is a driving force behind Battery Passport adoption, the long-term goal is to unlock value beyond regulations. Radhakrishnan underscores, “We don’t want this to be a mere compliance exercise. The vision is to create a platform where OEMs, regulators, and end-users benefit from deeper insights into battery performance and sustainability.”
Tata Elxsi offers two key solutions—an analytical solution and a passport solution, allowing stakeholders to customize features according to their needs. The cloud-based platform integrates AI-powered analytics, blockchain security, and data connectors to aggregate insights from multiple sources, ultimately helping OEMs enhance performance, reduce range anxiety, and extend battery life.
The Road Ahead: India’s Role in Shaping the Global Battery Passport Framework
As India accelerates its EV transition, the adoption of Battery Passport technology will play a crucial role in defining the future of the industry. With regulatory bodies increasingly focusing on data transparency, circular economy practices, and supply chain resilience, Indian automakers and battery manufacturers must proactively embrace these innovations.
The next few years will be critical as India fine-tunes its Battery Passport framework in alignment with global standards. Whether it’s reducing dependence on imported raw materials, driving down battery costs, or ensuring a safer EV ecosystem, the time to act is now.
At All India EV, we believe that initiatives like the Battery Passport will redefine India’s position in the global EV revolution, creating a greener, more transparent, and more sustainable automotive landscape.
