Finland regulatory changes threaten electric vehicle battery repairs

New regulatory guidelines in Finland regarding the handling of used electric and hybrid vehicle batteries are threatening the viability of the battery repair industry. According to a directive issued on July 3 by the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (TUKES), in cooperation with Traficom and Tukes, any battery removed from a vehicle is classified as waste once the consumer decides to dispose of it.

This classification means that intact components or modules from used or crashed batteries cannot be legally reused for repairs in other vehicles. If a repair shop uses these parts, they would be legally classified as battery manufacturers, a status requiring expensive type-approval testing and environmental permits.

Experts, including Jesse Haapala from Kokkolan Autohuolto, warn that this interpretation of EU battery regulations and Finnish waste laws could significantly increase repair costs and insurance premiums. It may also drive battery repairs into the informal economy and decrease the resale value of used electric vehicles. If new modules are unavailable for specific models, owners might be forced to purchase entirely new batteries instead of performing affordable repairs.