The Battery Passport, often likened to an Aadhaar card for batteries, is just the tip of the iceberg, says Anil Radhakrishnan, the Chief Product Officer at Tata Elxsi, in an exclusive interaction with ETAuto at The Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025. It is part of a broader digital product identity initiative spearheaded by regulators and global organisations to enhance data transparency, security, and sustainability across the entire automotive supply chain. Highlighting that the whole concept of Battery Passport is coming into India from the European regulation, Radhakrishnan explains that the Battery Passport serves as a unique digital profile for each battery, capturing crucial data points such as origin, composition, performance metrics, and lifecycle history. This not only ensures compliance with evolving regulatory frameworks but also fosters circular economy practices by enabling efficient recycling and reuse strategies. While, currently it is considered for electric vehicle (EV) batteries as it is the most expensive part of the vehicle with safety concerns related to it, he explains that it is not going to be confined to just EV batteries or batteries, but cover a slew of other product parts made of materials such as plastic, steel, and rubber, to mention. Empowering sustainable supply
With geopolitical uncertainties and raw material shortages posing significant challenges, digital product identity solutions like the Battery Passport empower stakeholders to proactively address supply chain disruptions, ensure ethical sourcing and also meet stringent environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. Moreover, it also enables stakeholders to analyse material performance and make required design and material innovations to improve product.
Radhakrishnan explains, “The entire journey of a battery—right from its origin to its movement through the supply chain—needs to be traced and tracked. This includes critical data such as when was the battery produced, where were the cells manufactured, which vehicle it is used in, and when it will be or has been disposed of. There is now a mandate to implement such tracking, primarily because the battery is the most expensive component in an EV and, if not handled properly, can lead to hazardous incidents. Additionally, ensuring the reusability and recyclability of the materials used in batteries is a key focus area, contributing to both cost efficiency and environmental sustainability.”
He further adds, “In EVs, where you are transporting five passengers, safety is a critical concern—alongside cost. Battery costs can significantly decrease when more recycled materials are integrated into production. There are multiple dimensions to consider: the cost factor, the safety aspect, and the sustainability angle, all of which are interconnected. This approach can certainly be extended to other battery types, but in terms of business impact, EV batteries remain the primary focus.”
Driving circular innovation
Reflecting on Tata Elxsi’s MOBIUS+, a comprehensive Battery Passport platform, Radhakrishnan emphasizes its potential to drive transparency, supply chain efficiency, and sustainability. He states, “India has set an ambitious Net Zero target for 2070.
To achieve this, we must focus on maximizing the reuse of recycled materials in new batteries.” For instance, transitioning from using a 100% virgin battery to incorporating 20% recycled nickel in new batteries could gain greater prominence with such solutions that track the entire battery lifecycle and provide in-depth analysis of material health and sustainability. Asked about the challenges faced in collating the data that currently resides in silos at various places and resistance by stakeholders on sharing the data, Radhakrishnan, says, “The challenges we face revolve around data availability and usability. The readiness and cleanliness of data are crucial, and governance is key—ensuring data security and maintaining competitiveness while sharing data. The ecosystem in India needs to evolve, and we are exploring collaboration with agencies such as WRI (World Resources Institute) and ThinkTanks to create a conducive environment with comprehensive data availability.”
“Everyone is currently in the discovery phase, exploring how much data to share and what to keep confidential. A key concern is ensuring that the exposed data remains secure and does not fall into the hands of competitors. While there is no outright resistance at this stage, there is significant curiosity about how data will be managed and safeguarded. Resistance may arise only if stakeholders identify touchpoints that could potentially impact their business. As of now, the industry acknowledges the necessity of such initiatives and is keen to understand their implications.”
Optimising battery ecosystem Explaining the data categories involved in developing a battery passport platform, Radhakrishnan highlights, “One set is upstream data from mines, cell manufacturers, and battery pack manufacturers, while the other is vehicle data from the BMS (Battery Management System) and connected vehicle systems. Bringing together these static and dynamic data sets unlocks valuable insights. For example, correlating failures to specific battery sources or materials can provide actionable insights and improve overall battery performance.”
He emphasizes that service centres will also play a crucial role by updating digital records each time a vehicle undergoes maintenance, therefore creating a shared responsibility across the entire supply chain to support the ecosystem’s growth. With increasing software integration in vehicles, battery passport solutions can further enhance battery management algorithms, which can be updated via OTA (Over-the-Air) updates. This also extends to V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) applications, enabling better decision- making regarding battery deployment in grid services.
“We do not want to confine this to regulatory compliance alone; it is mandatory and will happen. However, our vision is to extend its value beyond regulations, benefiting users, OEMs, and regulatory bodies alike,” says Radhakrishnan. Tata Elxsi offers two solutions—an analytical solution and a passport solution—both of which can be tailored to stakeholder needs. “We are not pre-bundling them; rather, we provide a platform where stakeholders can choose and integrate features as needed,” he says.
The cloud-based platform incorporates AI and ML analytics, data connectors to pull information from multiple sources, and blockchain for data security and immutability. These features ultimately help OEMs improve design, enhance performance, and reduce range anxiety by offering insights into battery lifespan and efficiency.
