High Voltage Batteries – Worldwide Regulatory Framework Analysis and Its Impact on the High-Performance Car Sector

This thesis investigates the evolving landscape of high-voltage batteries (HVBs) in the high-performance car sector, with a particular focus on the intersection of regulatory compliance, safety, and sustainability. The work is structured in two distinct parts, each addressing critical aspects of the current and future challenges faced by the industry. The first part provides a comprehensive analysis of the global regulatory framework governing HVBs, with special attention to international safety standards and the recently enacted European Regulation (EU) 2023/1542. This regulation represents a significant milestone, as it is the first to address the entire lifecycle of batteries, imposing stringent requirements on sustainability, traceability, recycled content, labeling, and end-of-life management. The analysis encompasses key standards such as UNECE Regulation No. 100 and China’s GB 38031, highlighting the complexity and fragmentation of the regulatory environment. The study underscores how these regulations profoundly influence battery design, manufacturing processes, and market access, requiring manufacturers to adapt to a rapidly changing compliance landscape. The second part adopts an applied perspective, presenting a case study on a high-voltage battery designed for a high-performance vehicle. This section examines the concrete impact of regulatory constraints on design choices, particularly in terms of safety, weight, and volume. A central focus is placed on the calculation of the carbon footprint, as required by Regulation (EU) 2023/1542. The thesis discusses, in general terms, the existence of different methodological approaches for assessing the carbon footprint at the end-of-life stage of batteries. These approaches differ in how they account for the environmental impacts and benefits associated with recycling and disposal, which can lead to variations in the final sustainability assessment. The analysis underscores the importance of methodological choices in reporting and comparing the environmental performance of batteries. In conclusion, the thesis highlights that HVB design is now a multidisciplinary activity, shaped by evolving regulatory and sustainability requirements. Mastery of carbon footprint calculation methods and compliance with global standards are not only obligations but also strategic levers for innovation and competitiveness in the automotive industry.