The Battery Passport is one of the most significant changes facing the battery value chain. From 18 February 2027, the EU Batteries Regulation requires a QR code on batteries placed on the EU market. For electric-vehicle batteries, light means of transport (LMT) batteries and industrial batteries with a capacity above 2 kWh, that QR code must provide access to a digital battery passport.
This is an important advance for transparency, circularity and traceability. But it also creates a common misconception: that a QR code can replace permanent identification on the battery and its components.
It cannot.
A QR code is a gateway to digital information. Physical marking is the durable identity that remains with the product in the real world. Manufacturers that treat the two as complementary—not interchangeable—will be in a much stronger position to manage quality, production, servicing and end-of-life operations.
What is the EU Battery Passport?
Under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, the Battery Passport is a digital record associated with an individual battery. Its purpose is to make relevant information available across the battery life cycle, from manufacturing and use through to repurposing, recycling and material recovery.
The passport is accessed through a QR code. Depending on the user and access rights, the information may support decisions about the battery’s characteristics, performance, sustainability, handling and circularity.
The same Regulation also establishes labelling and marking requirements. A battery’s physical identity and legally required on-product information therefore remain central to compliance. The QR code adds a digital layer; it does not make the physical layer redundant.
QR code and component marking solve different problems
The most useful way to understand the difference is simple:
- The QR code connects a user to information.
- Component marking identifies the physical item itself.
The first is digital and data-rich. The second is immediate, tangible and available where the work happens.
On a production line, a technician may need to identify a housing, module, connector or pack before it has been assembled into its final configuration. During a quality investigation, an operator may need to trace a component to a batch, production date or process setting in seconds. In a service, repair or dismantling environment, the relevant item must remain identifiable even if a label is worn, a database connection is unavailable or the product is no longer in its original packaging.
That is where direct, durable marking delivers value.
Why permanent marking remains essential
1. Traceability starts before the passport is used
The Battery Passport is associated with the battery placed on the market. However, battery traceability begins much earlier: with incoming materials, cells, modules, electronics, mechanical parts and manufacturing steps.
Permanent identifiers on components help manufacturers link physical parts to their internal quality and manufacturing records. They support genealogy throughout assembly and make it easier to isolate affected batches if a non-conformity is detected. A QR code on the final battery cannot, by itself, replace identification that is needed throughout production.
2. A physical identifier works at the point of action
Digital information is powerful, but a physical operation needs a physical reference. Clear component marking allows operators to verify the part in front of them quickly, without relying on an external label, a specific device or network access.
This matters in high-throughput manufacturing, where preventing a mix-up is often more valuable than correcting it later. It also matters in field service and recycling, where components may have been exposed to heat, dirt, abrasion, chemicals or long periods of use.
3. Durability is part of traceability
A serial number, 2D code or other direct mark should remain readable for the intended life of the component and in its real operating environment. The appropriate marking method depends on the substrate, geometry, contrast requirement and downstream processes.
For metal housings, coated parts, plastics and electronic components, direct laser marking can provide a permanent, high-contrast identification without inks or consumables. When specified and validated correctly, it supports readability while avoiding the risk of a separate label detaching, fading or becoming contaminated.
The aim is not simply to put a code on a part. It is to create a mark that is appropriate for the material, process and life cycle of that part.
4. The QR code itself needs a robust physical carrier
The digital passport is only accessible if its data carrier can be found and read. If the QR code is printed on a label, the label and its adhesive must withstand the product’s conditions. If it is marked directly on the battery or component, the mark must preserve enough contrast and definition for reliable scanning.
In other words, a QR code does not remove the need for marking expertise—it makes that expertise more important. Code size, placement, surface finish, contrast, scanning angle and damage tolerance all influence whether the information remains accessible in practice.
5. Recycling and repair need clear identification too
Battery circularity depends on more than a digital record. Operators involved in repair, repurposing and recycling must be able to identify and handle the physical product safely and efficiently.
Durable on-part marking can support sorting, verification and process routing, particularly when products are removed from their original system or when several similar components are handled together. It can also provide a practical fallback when the QR code cannot be scanned or the digital record is temporarily unavailable.
From compliance project to production strategy
Preparing for Battery Passport 2027 should not be treated as a last-minute QR-code project. It is an opportunity to review the full identification strategy:
- Map the traceability points. Identify which cells, modules, packs and critical components need an internal identifier.
- Define the data model. Decide what each identifier represents and how it links to manufacturing, quality and passport data.
- Choose the right marking method. Validate readability and permanence for each material and process.
- Plan for the full life cycle. Consider assembly, use, service, dismantling and recycling—not only the moment of market placement.
- Verify code quality. Test marks with the scanners, lighting and handling conditions used in real operations.
The Regulation’s detailed implementation will continue to develop through secondary legislation. Businesses should therefore review the latest requirements with their compliance teams and applicable standards. But the operational principle is already clear: digital and physical traceability must work together.
The practical takeaway
The Battery Passport will make battery information more accessible and more useful across the value chain. The QR code is the door to that information—but it is not a substitute for permanent component marking.
Reliable battery traceability requires both:
- A digital identity, connected to the Battery Passport; and a durable physical identity, readable on the battery and the components that need to be controlled throughout their life cycle.
At Macsa id, we help manufacturers implement direct marking solutions that support traceability on demanding materials and production environments. If you are preparing a battery identification or QR-code marking project, our team can help you assess materials, code requirements and integration options.
Talk to a marking specialist about your battery traceability project.