Kia is conducting the first public trials of a battery passport at a cellular level in preliminary research to boost EV transparency and consumer confidence.
Kia’s research gathers and displays data for each cell
Carried out ahead of European regulation on battery passports, the breakthrough ensures transparency of EV battery health by providing live detailed data for each battery cell.
From February 2027, every EV sold in the EU will need to include a digital record called a battery passport, accessed via a QR code on the battery and including information such as the battery’s materials, performance, state of charge (SoC) and state of health (SoH).
Kia’s trials are the first to take place at a cellular level to provide in-depth data, supporting plans by the Korean carmaker to allow EV customers to benefit from improved repairability, longer battery life and higher resale value.
As part of its scientific study, Kia used an EV3 equipped with cell monitors to explore opportunities with advanced battery data. The trial vehicle is capable of monitoring and transmitting live data for each cell of the battery pack and uploading it to its digital battery passport.
Once the data is uploaded, users, mechanics and regulators, among others, can access real-time information on the battery’s SoH through the car’s infotainment system. To ensure accuracy and traceability throughout the battery’s lifecycle, the system automatically updates after any repair work. To access the battery passport data collected during the trial, a data-sharing pilot environment, developed by TNO, was utilised.
Delft University of Technology, together with Hyundai Motor Group, coordinated the collaborative passport trial. The system could also be configured for other applications, such as a different car model, interoperability with a different brand, or even application in a different sector.
“Kia aims to set a new standard for customers regarding battery transparency and performance,” said Marc Hedrich, president and CEO at Kia Europe. “Through testing cell-level battery passports, we gain insights on what ownership benefits we can offer our customers. On top of advantages such as extended battery life, we will be building on a relationship of trust as well.”
In addition to its preliminary research, Kia has established a dedicated organisation, bringing together experts from across the company, to develop its own battery passport service in collaboration with partners across the EV battery value chain and related networks. The Kia battery passport will go beyond regulatory requirements by including additional safety-related data. Kia plans to provide this service for all EV/HEV models sold in Europe by February 2027, as required by the EU battery regulation.
Compared to conventional monitoring systems that only measure SoH of the entire battery pack or module, Kia’s research gathers and displays data for each cell. This in-depth data collection delivers various benefits to customers. With real-time SoH insights, customers can identify and address maintenance issues early. This can lead to extended battery life and reduced long-term costs.
The battery monitoring’s enhanced precision also enables targeted cell-specific repairs. This allows individual cells to be replaced instead of complete modules, saving both time and money. For owners of used EVs, live battery data increases trust in vehicle performance, which in turn supports higher resale values. This level of transparency informs decisions regarding battery reuse and recycling. This makes it easier to keep EV batteries on the market longer and reduce waste.