Concept of compatible battery

The concept of compatible battery is referred to in Article 11 (6) and (8) as a condition for a portable or LMT battery to be considered readily replaceable. This means that all batteries and their respective devices have to be designed in a way that makes it possible to use both original and compatible batteries. A battery is considered to be compatible if it does not pose a risk to the user’s or the device’s safety, while allowing the device to operate as intended. For batteries consisting of multiple cells, a cell is considered to be compatible if it does not render the battery pack unsafe, while having the same technical parameters, including its capacity, state of health, design and chemistry. For products incorporating batteries that are subject to type-approval under Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, a battery is considered to be compatible only if the replacement of the original battery has no impact on the product’s type-approval specifications. In the case of LMT batteries for non-type approved LMT vehicles, battery replacement, including at cell level, should be possible and done in a way that original safety certifications are not rendered invalid, applicable safety protocols are observed and standards are in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Similarly, a replacement battery is not considered to be compatible in cases where such replacement would result in violation of any product safety requirements provided for in other applicable EU harmonisation legislation. The design of batteries and devices therefore has to ensure that the conditions related to safety, performance and functionality can be met both by original and compatible batteries. It is strongly recommended to include instructions for the replacement of portable and LMT batteries in the user’s manual or other relevant documentation, as well as the technical specifications that compatible batteries need to meet in order to be safe, with references to EU or international standards, if necessary.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-09-07 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.