Skip to main content

Battery categories

EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542 defines distinct battery categories, each with different disclosure requirements, thresholds, and mandatory data fields.

A DPP response does not carry a single *_BATTERY enum. The category is identified by the categoryId field (the category configuration id, e.g. cat_bat_1) and, where present, the resolvable category_code (e.g. BAT-EV-001). The category configuration ids and their EU Battery Regulation names are:

categoryIdDB category_codeEU Battery Regulation categoryJSON-LD espr:productCategory
cat_bat_1BAT-EV-001EV - TractionEV Battery
cat_bat_2BAT-LMT-001LMT (Light Means of Transport)LMT Battery
cat_bat_3BAT-IND-001 / BAT-IND-002Industrial - Stationary (> 2 kWh)Other Industrial Battery
cat_bat_4BAT-SLI-001SLI (starting, lighting, ignition)SLI Battery
cat_bat_5BAT-PORT-001PortablePortable Battery

The JSON-LD mapper also defines a cat_bat_6Stationary Battery literal for future use.

Authoritative list. Category availability is environment-scoped (for example, SLI and Portable are not offered on production while their compliance work is open). Do not hardcode this table. Retrieve the live, authoritative category list from GET /api/v1/categories.

For the response object shape, see DPP data model overview.


EV batteries (cat_bat_1)

Electric Vehicle Batteries are the most data-intensive category, with the most comprehensive disclosure obligations under the regulation.

Key mandatory disclosures:

DisclosureRequiredNotes
Carbon footprintYesFull lifecycle carbon footprint required, covering all lifecycle stages.
Carbon footprint verificationYesMust be verified by an accredited third party.
Recycled contentYesRecovered-material content for cobalt, lithium, nickel, and lead.
Cycle lifeYesMust meet the minimum cycle life threshold.
Round-trip efficiencyYes
Hazardous substancesYesAll substances above 0.1% by weight.
EU Battery Regulation conformityYesMust be affirmed to publish.
Supply chain due diligencePartialPublic fields shown; detailed sourcing data is a restricted PoLI field.

For EV batteries, the carbon footprint value is required and is expected to reflect the full product lifecycle.

For authoritative regulatory dates and scope, see Compliance → Enforcement timeline.


LMT batteries (cat_bat_2)

Light Means of Transport Batteries cover electric bicycles, e-scooters, e-mopeds, and similar micro-mobility vehicles. Requirements are a subset of EV battery requirements.

Key mandatory disclosures:

DisclosureRequiredNotes
Carbon footprintYesRequired from the date of application of the relevant Commission delegated acts.
Recycled contentYesRecovered-material content for cobalt, lithium, nickel, and lead.
Cycle lifeYes
Hazardous substancesYesSubstances above 0.1% by weight.

The carbon footprint value is required for LMT batteries. Capacity is typically expressed in the 0.25–2 kWh range.

For authoritative regulatory dates and scope, see Compliance → Enforcement timeline.


Industrial batteries (cat_bat_3)

Industrial Batteries cover stationary energy storage, forklift batteries, data centre UPS systems, and grid-scale applications with rated energy content exceeding 2 kWh.

Key mandatory disclosures:

DisclosureRequiredNotes
Carbon footprintYesRequired for batteries with capacity ≥ 2 kWh.
Recycled contentYesRecovered-material content for cobalt, lithium, nickel, and lead.
Round-trip efficiencyYes
Cycle lifeYes
Hazardous substancesYes

The carbon footprint value is required. Industrial batteries frequently have higher capacity values (10–1000+ kWh), which affects the capacity range. Batteries at or below 2 kWh are classified as portable, not industrial.

For authoritative regulatory dates and scope, see Compliance → Enforcement timeline.


SLI batteries (cat_bat_4)

Starting, Lighting, and Ignition (SLI) batteries are used in conventional internal combustion engine vehicles for starting the engine, powering lights, and ignition. These batteries have lighter disclosure requirements than EV batteries.

Key mandatory disclosures:

DisclosureRequiredNotes
Carbon footprintNoNot required for SLI batteries; the value is absent for this category.
Recycled contentYesRecovered lead is the primary metric for SLI batteries.
PerformancePartialCapacity (Ah), voltage, and cold cranking amps (CCA) are relevant; cycle life is less applicable.
Hazardous substancesYesLead-acid batteries have specific lead content declarations.
RoHS complianceYesSLI batteries must meet RoHS requirements.

The carbon footprint is not required for SLI batteries. Recycled lead content is the significant circularity metric for this category.

For authoritative regulatory dates and scope, see Compliance → Enforcement timeline.


Portable batteries (cat_bat_5)

Portable Batteries are sealed batteries weighing less than 5 kg, designed for consumer use — including laptop batteries, power tool batteries, and consumer electronics batteries. This is the lightest-regulated category.

Key mandatory disclosures:

DisclosureRequiredNotes
Carbon footprintNoNot required for portable batteries; the value is absent for this category.
Recycled contentPartialRecovered cobalt content required for cobalt-containing chemistries.
PerformancePartialCapacity (Wh) and rated voltage. Cycle life recommended but not mandatory.
Hazardous substancesYesSubstances above 0.1% by weight.

The carbon footprint is not required for portable batteries. Performance data is typically minimal for this category. Portable batteries weighing 5 kg or more are classified as industrial, not portable.

For authoritative regulatory dates and scope, see Compliance → Enforcement timeline.


Checking category in the API

Use the categoryId field (the category configuration id) to determine which data to expect:

const dpp = await fetchDpp(slug);

// EV = cat_bat_1, Industrial = cat_bat_3
if (dpp.categoryId === 'cat_bat_1' || dpp.categoryId === 'cat_bat_3') {
// Carbon footprint is expected for these categories
console.log(`Carbon footprint: ${dpp.carbonFootprint} kgCO₂e`);
} else {
// Guard: carbonFootprint may be undefined for other categories
console.log('Carbon footprint not applicable for this battery category');
}

dpp.carbonFootprint is a summary number (or undefined), not a nested object. See the DPP Overview for the complete field reference and the authoritative category list at GET /api/v1/categories.