Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 introduced "light means of transport" (LMT) as a distinct battery category. An LMT battery is defined as a battery in a wheeled vehicle that can be powered by an electric motor alone or by a combination of motor and human power, including type-approved vehicles of category L, with a weight up to 25 kg. This covers the batteries in e-bikes, e-scooters and similar light vehicles.
LMT is one of the four passport categories
Article 77(1) lists LMT batteries alongside EV and industrial (> 2 kWh) batteries as requiring a digital passport. So unlike ordinary portable batteries, LMT batteries carry the full passport obligation regardless of capacity. From 18 February 2027 an LMT battery placed on the EU market must have its own passport, reachable through a QR code on the battery.
| Category | Definition cue | Passport obligation |
|---|---|---|
| LMT | Wheeled vehicle battery, vehicle up to 25 kg | Yes — per battery, from 18 Feb 2027 |
| Portable | Sealed, <= 5 kg, not industrial/LMT/EV/SLI | No Article 77 passport |
| Industrial | > 2 kWh industrial use | Yes — per battery, from 18 Feb 2027 |
For e-bike brands and importers the practical challenge is volume: each replaceable battery pack is a separate battery placed on the market and needs its own unique identifier and passport. Manual authoring does not scale, so issuance should be driven from product and serial data.
Frequently asked
Is an e-bike battery a portable battery exempt from the passport?
No. The regulation created a separate LMT category precisely so these batteries are not treated as ordinary portable batteries. LMT batteries are named in Article 77(1) and require a per-battery passport.