The Ministry of Road Transport has developed a new system for identifying and tracking electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The government has proposed that every EV battery in the country will have its own unique identification number, which will be called the ‘Battery Pack Aadhaar Number’ (BPAN).
This number will be 21 digits long, providing complete information about the battery, from its manufacturing to its disposal or recycling, with a single click.
21-digit unique number mandatory on batteries
According to the draft guidelines issued by the Ministry, it will be mandatory for battery manufacturers and importers to assign a 21-character BPAN to every battery pack.
This rule will apply not only to batteries sold in the market but also to batteries manufactured for the companies’ own use.
Number to be placed on the battery in a tamper-proof location
According to the guidelines, the BPAN should be placed on the battery pack in a clearly visible location.
Companies must ensure that the number’s location is such that it cannot be damaged or erased.
In addition, companies will also have to upload real-time data of the battery to the official BPAN portal.
New BPAN number upon recycling
The biggest feature of this system is that it will monitor the entire life cycle of the battery. It will store information about raw material mining, manufacturing, usage, and finally, recycling.
If a battery is recycled or repurposed for other uses, a new BPAN number will be issued. This will maintain transparency between the old and new batteries.
Rules also apply to industrial batteries above 2kWh
In India, 80% to 90% of the total demand for lithium-ion batteries comes from the EV sector. Therefore, the government has decided to prioritize EV batteries in the initial phase. However, the guidelines also suggest that this rule should be applied to industrial batteries with a capacity of more than 2 kWh.