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 The road transport ministry has proposed a new system to give electric vehicle batteries a unique identification number, similar to Aadhaar, to improve tracking, safety and recycling.  

The move is aimed at ensuring complete traceability of batteries from manufacturing to final disposal.

Under the draft guidelines issued by the ministry, every battery producer or importer will be required to assign a 21-character Battery Pack Aadhaar Number, or BPAN, to each battery introduced in the market or used for self-consumption.

Companies will also have to upload all relevant battery data on an official BPAN portal.

The guidelines state that the BPAN must be placed in a clearly visible and accessible location on the battery.

The identification mark should be positioned in such a way that it does not get destroyed or damaged during the battery’s life cycle.

According to the draft, the BPAN system will store key information related to a battery, starting from raw material extraction and manufacturing to its use, recycling or final disposal.

If a battery is recycled or repurposed and its attributes change, a new BPAN will have to be issued by the same or a different producer or importer.

The ministry said the proposed system is designed to bring greater transparency, accountability and sustainability to the battery ecosystem.

By tracking battery performance and environmental impact, the framework is expected to support better regulatory compliance, second-life usage and efficient recycling.

Electric vehicles currently account for nearly 80 to 90 per cent of India’s total lithium-ion battery demand, far more than industrial or non-automotive uses.

Given this scale and the safety and regulatory concerns involved, the draft guidelines propose giving priority to electric vehicle batteries while framing standards under the BPAN system.

While the framework is recommended for industrial batteries above 2 kWh, the ministry said focusing on EV batteries in the initial phase will help address the most impactful segment of India’s battery ecosystem.

The draft also suggests that the Battery Pack Aadhaar framework be developed through the Automotive Industry Standard route under the Automotive Industry Standards Committee.

This process will allow structured consultations with stakeholders, technical checks and alignment with existing automotive rules.

The committee may include representatives from battery makers, electric vehicle manufacturers, recyclers, testing agencies and regulatory bodies to ensure that practical challenges across the battery life cycle are properly addressed.

The ministry noted that as the world shifts toward digitalisation and electrification, energy storage cells have become critical for reliable and efficient power supply.