Ford’s Battery Passport Still Drives Change

2022 Ford–Everledger battery passport project guides 2025 efforts in EV transparency and recycling

12 Nov 2025

Ford and Everledger’s 2022 blockchain pilot for “battery passports” has become a reference point for transparency in the electric vehicle supply chain, influencing industry discussions on recycling and data accountability through 2025.

Launched in October 2022, the six-month project tested a digital record system to trace batteries from production to end-of-life. Using blockchain, artificial intelligence, and auto-identification tools, the pilot recorded key data such as origin, chemistry, condition, and ownership. The companies said the technology could help automakers, recyclers, and regulators track materials throughout their lifecycle and encourage responsible reuse.

Ford worked with U.S. recyclers Cirba Solutions and Li-Cycle Corp. to demonstrate traceability under real-world conditions. Everledger described the pilot as a “world first,” highlighting its potential to embed trust in the supply chain. “Blockchain ensures each battery’s history can be verified, empowering greener choices,” said Leanne Kemp, founder of Everledger.

While Everledger has mentioned broader collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy in related sustainability programmes, there has been no official confirmation linking the agency to this particular pilot.

Three years on, the project is cited as an early test case for digital tracking in electric mobility. Its principles of data interoperability, lifecycle visibility, and circular design have informed industry dialogue on sustainable battery standards, even though large-scale roll-outs directly tied to the pilot have yet to emerge.

The Ford–Everledger collaboration remains an example of how early experimentation with blockchain can support greater accountability and efficiency in electric vehicle production. Industry observers view it as a step toward building a transparent, data-driven, and circular system for managing battery materials.