Battery traceability rules take effect in August 2018 with lifecycle records

China’s interim battery recycling traceability rules took effect on 1 August 2018. A national platform collected information on production, sale, use, retirement, collection and processing to monitor responsibilities across the lifecycle.

Battery producers and second-life businesses had to obtain manufacturer codes, register coding rules and identify products. Vehicle producers linked vehicle identifiers to battery codes and updated records through sales and replacement activities.

Reporting covered vehicle manufacturers and importers, collection outlets, vehicle dismantlers and processors. Records followed receipt, dispatch, removal, transfer and final treatment through enterprise platform accounts.

The 2018 provisions were repealed on 1 April 2026. Joint Order 73 established the updated platform, digital identity and reporting framework; this article preserves the historical account.