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The European Union continues to make progress in its regulatory push to require companies to use “portable batteries” in their products. This includes Apple and its iPhone products.
The European Parliament has voted this month to support the plan. The guidelines share different details about how the regulation would be observed in the future. According to the EU, the main idea behind this is to produce batteries that are “more sustainable, more durable, and better-performing.”
In case made into reality, the portable batteries should make it “easier” for users to replace them, whether they are using iPhones, iPads, or other electronic products from big tech companies, including electric vehicles. The guidelines discuss what the EU wants to see in these portable batteries, which is exactly similar to what we used to have in old phone models prior to the rise of smartphones.
“A portable battery should be considered to be removable by the end-user when it can be removed with the use of commercially available tools and without requiring the use of specialised tools, unless they are provided free of charge, or proprietary tools, thermal energy or solvents to disassemble it,” the guidelines read. “Commercially available tools are considered to be tools available on the market to all end-users without the need for them to provide evidence of any proprietary rights and that can be used with no restriction, except health and safety-related restrictions.”
Aside from easy removal and replacement, the EU wants Apple and other companies to include essential details in the portable batteries, guiding users on how to dispose of them and understand their capacity.
“To better inform consumers, batteries will carry labels and QR codes with information related to their capacity, performance, durability, chemical composition, as well as the ‘separate collection’ symbol. LMT batteries, industrial batteries with a capacity above 2 kWh and EV batteries will also be required to have a ‘digital battery passport’ including information on the battery model as well as information specific to the individual battery and its use.”
