Finland faces debate over electric vehicle battery repair guidelines

A controversy has emerged in Finland regarding new official guidelines for the repair and reuse of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The guidelines, issued by Traficom, the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes), and the Regional State Administrative Agency (LVV), are based on the EU Battery Regulation.

Critics, including automotive repair professional Jesse Haapala, argue that the current interpretation of the rules creates an excessive bureaucratic burden. There are concerns that repairs deviating from manufacturer instructions may be classified as ‘remanufacturing,’ which shifts full manufacturer responsibility to independent repair shops, making the process economically and administratively unfeasible. This has led to a citizens' initiative that has gathered over 30,000 signatures.

Environment and Climate Minister Sari Multala has called for clarity, stating that the current perception of the situation is ‘unnecessarily bleak.’ She noted that according to information from authorities, the guidelines do not prohibit battery repair or reuse, nor do they require every repair shop to seek environmental permits. Multala emphasized that regulations must not make EV ownership more expensive or cause vehicles to become premature scrap due to difficult repair processes.