Kia battery passport application could spark a used EV revolution

Kia has begun the world’s first public trials of cell-level EV battery passports which could help revolutionise the used electric car market when they arrive in a couple of years.

The trial, utilising a modified Kia EV3, centres around the usage of battery cell monitoring technology from Scottish EV tech firm, Dukosi. This can collate data from the car’s battery pack in detail down to individual cell level. 

This information is then subsequently sent to and stored within a digital battery passport which can be accessed via the EV3’s central infotainment system. It can be accessed either by mechanics who may want to diagnose a problem, and/or prospective buyers wishing to obtain a picture of the battery’s overall condition.

It’s hoped all of this will ultimately strengthen the used EV market by improving battery repairability as mechanics will be able to easily identify and replace any faulty cells. This greater repairability should also improve consumer confidence in used electric cars and residual values. Prospective car buyers will be able to understand the battery’s condition and the likelihood of any problems being diagnosed and fixed will increase. 

A Kia spokesperson told Auto Express that the EV3 has been selected for the trial as a first step: “It’s only a trial of the technology for the time being – [but] that isn’t to say it will only be offered on EV3 in the future.”

Kia has confirmed that it hopes to bring this kind of technology to market by February 2027 for both its hybrid and fully-electric car line-ups, as per EU regulations. The South Korean firm also refused to rule out the possibility of offering battery passport tech for pre-existing models from its electric car line-up, saying it’s “currently too early to say – the trial doesn’t commence until February, so hopefully should be clearer after the fact.”

Of course, while Kia is the first firm to trial cell-level passport tech, it’s not the first car company to introduce battery passports altogether; last year the Volvo EX90 SUV became the first model to get a battery passport. Activated via the Volvo Cars app, this system displays the car battery’s recycled content, material traceability and embedded carbon footprint.

If you’re already looking to take a deep dive into the world of EV ownership, Auto Express’ Buy a Car service gives you access to a multitude of pre-owned EV models from. You can get your hands on a used Kia EV6 from just over £15,000 or a used Kia EV9 for well under £50,000.