New Zealand urged to learn from Europe’s battery passport rollout
Two years after Europe piloted the world’s first digital large battery passport, Aotearoa New Zealand’s large battery industry leaders say the lessons from overseas are too important to ignore.
With a surge of end-of-life EV batteries looming, they argue New Zealand must prepare now or risk being left behind.
The European Union’s Battery Passport, mandated under the Batteries Regulation, provides a digital record of a battery’s carbon footprint, raw materials, supply chain checks, and recycling data. Global Battery Alliance pilots have demonstrated that it’s possible to trace a battery’s entire lifecycle from mining to recycling in one secure digital file.
Global lessons: wins and watchpoints
International trials show the system has already:
- Improved traceability across the supply chain.
- Supported recycling targets and boosted circular design.
- Reduced the cost of preparing batteries for second-life use.
The experience has also revealed challenges to overcome, such as high compliance costs for small operators, inconsistent standards for recyclers, limited system interoperability, and inconsistent state-of-health testing (the measure of remaining capacity) for second-life batteries.
Where New Zealand stands
At home, a report by the VIA (Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association) highlights a patchwork of practice, unclear liability, tightening insurance cover, and heavy reliance on offshore recovery. The 2025 End-of-Life Battery Report points out that local refurbishers and recyclers are innovating, but without consistent rules and government direction, they face unnecessary risk.
ASNZ submitted the application for the Battery Industry Group (B.I.G.) to the Ministry for the Environment for a regulated product stewardship scheme in October 2023, but a decision is still pending.
It is clear there is a strong interest from industry to advance the conversation. The task now is to act on what we’ve learned and keep the momentum going.
Australia is moving, will New Zealand keep pace?
Across the Tasman, Australia’s National Battery Strategy has already put sustainability, ESG (environmental, social, and governance), and circularity at its core. Industry calls for a battery passport are gathering momentum, with a strong focus on preventing unsafe EV waste and enabling circular solutions.
Mark Gilbert, Chair of Auto Stewardship New Zealand, the governance organisation for the B.I.G. project, says we risk falling behind our closest neighbour and losing competitiveness if we don’t align quickly with emerging regional and global standards.
A uniquely New Zealand opportunity
Mark says the global battery passport pilots prove the concept works, and the opportunity now is to create a system which is fit for the New Zealand context.
“We can take the lessons from overseas and design something inclusive, pragmatic, and circular,” he said. “The key message from industry is clear: we cannot wait for regulation to act.”
Leadership through action
B.I.G.’s role is to unite the industry and lead a coordinated response, turning a looming waste problem into a sustainable resource. By aligning with international frameworks while embedding local principles such as kaitiakitanga, New Zealand can position itself as a trusted partner in global supply chains and a leader in circular innovation.
The world won’t wait. Europe has set the benchmark, Australia is mobilising, and the Global Battery Alliance is showing what’s possible. For New Zealand, the choice is clear: act now, together, and build the circular solutions that future generations will depend on.
Ka rere he rā. Every sunrise is a chance to recharge innovation. Let’s seize it.
