Volvo Unveils EX90 Battery Passport

The EU's battery passport mandate won't go into effect for another three years, yet Volvo is ahead of the game announcing to Reuters that its upcoming EX90 electric SUV would be the world's first EV with a battery passport. 

The passport would track the source of raw materials and components in a battery pack from the initial mining all the way until the pack itself is recycled. It would also track the battery's carbon footprint. The EU mandated that all new electric vehicles sold have a battery passport beginning in 2027. The United States has yet to mandate a similar tracking system, but it's likely on the horizon. 

Volvo partnered with UK startup Circulor. The company specializes in supply-chain tracking via blockchain technology. According to to Reuters, the technology took five years to develop. 

The Volvo EX90 will be built in Charleston, South Carolina for US and European markets beginning in late 2024. Customers can access a simplified version of the battery tracking information via a QR code in the vehicle. European regulators will have access to a more robust version of the data.