New EU battery regulations "challenge some SBMC specifications"
The Brussels based Swappable Battery Motorcycle Consortium's annual meeting was hosted by Honda at its R&D facility in Offenbach, Germany, from June 29-30, 2023 - with over 60 technical, regulatory and end user experience experts attending.
One of the key objectives of SBMC is ensuring that batteries can be exchanged among different PTW brands and types. The Consortium, now with 39 members, has therefore announced its support for an EU initiative that is designed "to make it safe and convenient for users to swap batteries".
Batteries are considered a key technology in the transition to climate neutrality, and to a more "circular economy". Global demand for batteries is increasing rapidly and is set to increase 14 times by 2030.
Therefore, to minimise the environmental impact, the European Commission has proposed a new Regulation concerning the design, manufacture and recycling of all types of batteries sold in the EU - one that will come into force before the end of this year.
Battery manufacturers will thus be subject to stricter environmental and due diligence requirements if they want to sell on the European market.
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| Honda hosted more than 60 technical, regulatory and end user experience experts for the SBMC annual meeting at its Offenbach, Germany R&D Centre in June. |
"These new rules challenge some of the SBMC specifications, however, the Consortium envisions to address them, as they aim to make batteries sustainable throughout their entire life cycle - from the sourcing of materials to their collection, recycling and repurposing".
Key measures foreseen by the regulation include ensuring that portable batteries should be readily removable and replaceable by end users or independent operators during the lifetime of the appliance.
- There will be a requirement for a compulsory carbon footprint declaration and labelling for 'light means of transport' (LMT vehicle) batteries (electric scooters, motorcycles and bikes with a battery above 25 kg).
- A digital battery passport for LMT batteries is proposed to efficiently gather and reuse information on individual batteries placed on the market.
- There will be a due diligence policy for all business operators placing batteries on the EU market - except for SMEs [hopefully this excludes dealers from the need to do so]. This will be implemented to address the social and environmental risks linked to sourcing, processing and trading raw materials.
- There will be stricter waste collection targets for LMT batteries of 51% by 2028 and 61% by 2031- all waste LMT batteries must be collected, free of charge for end users, regardless of their nature, chemical composition, condition, brand or origin.
- Minimum levels of recycled content from manufacturing and consumer waste must be used in new LMT batteries: eight years after the entry into force of the regulation - 16% for cobalt, 85% for lead, 6% for lithium and 6% for nickel.
