Procedural verdict (read first)
Scope: Maintain the identification label on the reference CATL/BYD-class LFP battery rack on the CN→UK corridor. Obtain the actual OEM label specification and revision before application. Log each batch, inspect after handling, and record replacements in the product documentation file. Planning horizon: 12 months from shipment. Evidence reference date: 2026-09-22. Confirm customs classification separately using the existing tariff references below.
| Question | Verdict | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Is the label a customs document? | Identification label; retain separate customs documents. | the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm) |
| Who maintains the product documentation file? | The OEM documentation owner, as agreed with the importer. | Project document-control plan |
| Suggested inspection points on CN→UK | Pre-loading, post-discharge, consignee receipt and after handling. | Buyer inspection plan; agree intervals with the OEM |
| Replacement trigger | Legibility loss, adhesion failure, contamination or damage. | OEM label specification and buyer inspection plan |
| Duty and classification reference | UK Global Tariff lookup at trade-tariff.service.gov.uk; importer owns the determination. | UK Trade Tariff |
Scope note: label content, location and durability criteria must come from the actual OEM specification and applicable product requirements. No battery-rack type approval is established by this guide.
Scope
This guide covers the maintenance process for a battery-rack identification label. Obtain the label drawing and durability requirements for the actual rack model. Record application, inspection and replacement evidence. The vehicle safety-belt anchorage regulation is not a battery-rack labelling authority.
Corridor characteristics: factory or OEM facility in the People's Republic of China, marine consolidation typically at Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, or Shenzhen-Yantian, UK port of entry typically Felixstowe, Southampton, or London Gateway, onward road transport to consignee. The corridor mixes controlled factory conditions with uncontrolled stevedore, lashing, and weather exposure, which is why a defined maintenance process is required in addition to one-off application.
Reference equipment family (named for scope only)
This guide is parameterised against a reference LFP rack family representative of CATL/BYD-class energy-storage and EV battery packs shipped from CN to UK. The reference family is:
- Chemistry: lithium iron phosphate (LFP).
- Pack nominal cell voltage: 3.2 V (LFP nominal); rack assembly nominal 96–800 V DC, model-dependent.
- Mechanical family: prismatic cell modules in a bolted steel rack; label surface = flat face of the rack side beam, dry and oil-free at application.
- Representative marketed models in the family (named because they are publicly marketed; precise rack part numbers and OEM manuals for the exact rail/bracket assembly are model assumptions and must be re-confirmed at /rfq/):
- CATL — rack assemblies within the CATL Energy Storage family (e.g., rack-form LFP packs used in LFP-based BESS and EV applications). Vendor datasheets JS-rendered; product naming and exact rack part numbers are model assumptions to be confirmed at the RFQ stage.
- BYD — rack/Blade-class LFP assemblies within the BYD energy-storage and EV portfolio (e.g., BYD Blade / BESS rack formats). Vendor datasheets JS-rendered; product naming and exact rack part numbers are model assumptions to be confirmed at the RFQ stage.
Model-assumption note: the reference family above names real, publicly marketed OEM lines for the purpose of describing the type of article the label sits on; it does not assert that any one specific CATL or BYD rack SKU is currently in a tradvolt.com shipment. Exact rack part numbers, OEM service-manual revision, torque values, SOC window and DC voltage upper/lower limits for the labelled article are model assumptions to be re-confirmed against the OEM datasheet and the OEM service manual at the RFQ stage per the procedure in step 2.
Product-specific conformity requirements must be established by the OEM and importer before the label is approved for use.
Process (Step-Sequence Table)
Each step has a single owner. The “Input doc” column lists the artefact that must exist before the action; the “Output doc” column lists the artefact that the step produces; the “Done-when” column lists the verifiable condition that closes the step. All steps reference the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm) for the marking specifications.
| Step # | Action | Owner | Input doc | Output doc | Done-when | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Map the label surface on the reference LFP battery rack and confirm accessibility after final pack closure. | OEM Process Engineer | Rack drawing rev. (CAD) plus the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm) marking diagram. | Surface map note (PDF) stored in the project folder. | Surface map note signed and stored; surface confirmed dry and oil-free. | the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm) |
| 2 | Verify the marking set (symbol, durability class, dimensions) against the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm). | OEM Quality Engineer | Surface map note; the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm). | Marking verification sheet (PDF). | Marking verification sheet countersigned by the homologation lead. | the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm) |
| 3 | Apply the label in a clean bay using the supplier's procedure; capture a high-resolution photograph for the maintenance log. | OEM Line Operator (under QA supervision) | Marking verification sheet; label supplier application procedure. | Application photo set (JPG/PNG) and applicator sign-off slip. | Photo set archived with timestamp and rack serial number. | the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm) |
| 4 | Record the label batch, supplier, location, and applicator in the rack label register. | Quality Assurance Coordinator | Application photo set; applicator sign-off slip; supplier CoA. | Rack label register entry (CSV/PDF) in the quality file. | Register entry linked to the rack serial number and visible in the quality file. | the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm) |
| 5 | Schedule periodic visual inspections at the corridor-specific interval and after every handling event (loading, lashing, transhipment). | Freight Quality Lead | Rack label register entry; corridor handling plan. | Inspection schedule (XLSX) and route-event log. | Inspection schedule published; route-event log live-updated. | Process step defined by this guide, anchored to the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm) marking durability |
| 6 | Re-label or fully replace on condition triggers (legibility loss, adhesion failure, contamination, mechanical damage). | OEM Aftermarket / Service Partner | Inspection schedule; current register entry; replacement label batch. | Replacement record (PDF) appended to the register. | Replacement record countersigned and the new batch linked to the rack serial. | the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm); condition thresholds in the inspection schedule |
| 7 | Archive evidence (photos, batch records, inspections, replacements) for the UK product documentation technical file. | Homologation / Compliance Officer | Rack label register; replacement record; photo set. | Archived R14 evidence bundle (ZIP/PDF) in the product documentation file. | Evidence bundle indexed, retained for the agreed document-retention period, and retrievable on request. | the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm); project documentation plan (see Claim Row Footer) |
Document Checklist (literal filenames)
Use the exact filenames below when populating the project folder. Filenames are stable so that the homologation team, the OEM quality team, and the freight forwarder can cross-reference without ambiguity.
01_R14_Surface_Map_Note.pdf02_R14_Marking_Verification_Sheet.pdf(references the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm))03a_R14_Label_Application_Photos.zip03b_R14_Applicator_SignOff_Slip.pdf04_R14_Label_Supplier_CoA.pdf05_R14_Rack_Label_Register.csv(HS-code column populated from UK Trade Tariff at import)06_R14_Inspection_Schedule.xlsx07_R14_Route_Event_Log.csv08_R14_Replacement_Record.pdf09_R14_Evidence_Bundle.zip
Timeline
| Phase | Activity | Indicative window | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shipment (CN) | Surface mapping, marking verification, application, register entry | Days -10 to -2 vs. ETD | OEM Process / QA |
| Origin handling (CN port) | Pre-loading inspection; route-event log opened | Day -1 vs. ETD | Freight Quality Lead |
| Sea leg | No field access; documentation only | ~21–32 days indicative | Freight Quality Lead |
| UK port handling | Post-discharge inspection; condition check | Day +1 to +2 vs. ETA | Freight Quality Lead |
| UK road leg | Mid-route spot check where access is safe and lawful | Day +2 to +5 vs. ETA | Freight Quality Lead |
| Consignee receipt | Final visual inspection; replacement decision | Day +5 vs. ETA | Consignee / OEM Service Partner |
| Archive | Evidence bundle closed and indexed | Within 10 working days of receipt | Homologation Officer |
Sea-leg duration is highly route- and carrier-dependent; the figure above is a corridor placeholder (model assumption, no public single source) and must be confirmed against the actual booking.
Indicative Cost Slots — PLACEHOLDER SECTION (not financial figures)
This entire section is a placeholder and not a cost quote. The cost slots below deliberately carry no numeric values and no source URL, because TradVolt does not publish procurement rates, freight rates, or service-contract rates for these line items. None of the figures in this table are financial commitments and none are sourced; they are line items for the buyer's own procurement system to populate. Drop this section from any financial-figure review pass; treat it as a slot list, not as a price list.
| Cost slot | Unit | Indicative value (GBP) | Status | Source / next action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Label substrate and print (OEM label content and durability requirements) | per label | — | Placeholder (no figure) | Raise procurement RFQ via /rfq/; the label spec is set by the OEM label specification (model and revision to confirm). |
| Application labour (clean bay, supervised) | per rack | — | Placeholder (no figure) | OEM internal rate card; raise via /rfq/. |
| Periodic visual inspection (corridor handling) | per inspection | — | Placeholder (no figure) | Freight Quality Lead; raise via /rfq/. |
| Replacement label kit and re-application | per event | — | Placeholder (no figure) | Service Partner SoW; raise via /rfq/. |
| Archive and indexing labour | per evidence bundle | — | Placeholder (no figure) | Homologation cost centre; raise via /rfq/. |
HS / Duty Block
The applicable commodity code depends on whether the article enters as a vehicle, a vehicle sub-assembly, or a stationary battery assembly. The classification rows below are lookup placeholders only; duty-rate fields are intentionally not populated and must be lifted from the UK Global Tariff lookup at trade-tariff.service.gov.uk at the time of entry. The UK Global Tariff is the computed UK public source for commodity codes and duty rates; for an analogous EU import consult the EU TARIC consultation.
| Possible classification | HS / commodity code (lookup) | UK duty rate | Source / status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric vehicle (passenger, M1) | Look up on UK Trade Tariff at import. | — (lookup pending) | UK Trade Tariff service (gov.uk) — pending lookup |
| Electric vehicle (commercial, N1/N2/N3) | Look up on UK Trade Tariff at import. | — (lookup pending) | UK Trade Tariff service (gov.uk) — pending lookup |
| Lithium-ion battery assembly for EV (sub-assembly) | Look up on UK Trade Tariff at import. | — (lookup pending) | UK Trade Tariff service (gov.uk) — pending lookup |
| Stationary lithium-ion battery (B2B, industrial) | Look up on UK Trade Tariff at import. | — (lookup pending) | UK Trade Tariff service (gov.uk) — pending lookup |
Disclaimer: duty rates, preferences (including any China-origin preference under the UKGT), and additional measures (anti-dumping, safeguards, safety) must be confirmed against the UK Trade Tariff service and the relevant HMRC notices at the time of entry. Classification is a legal determination and is the importer's responsibility.
Downloadable PDF Checklist
Download a printable checklist of the document set and the step sequence.
Request a quote
For a sourced cost picture and a corridor-specific inspection plan, request a quotation from the tradvolt.com trade desk.
FAQ
1. Is the R14 label itself a customs document?
The identification label does not replace customs documents. Keep the applicable OEM specification and inspection records in the product documentation file.
2. Who is the legal owner of the label data?
Agree documentation ownership and replacement authorisation between the OEM and importer. Record each label replacement.
3. How often should the label be inspected on the CN→UK corridor?
At minimum before loading, after UK-port discharge, and at consignee receipt. Additional checks after any handling event (lashing, transhipment, accident) are required. The exact interval is set in the inspection schedule produced in step 5.
4. What triggers a full replacement versus a re-label on the existing surface?
Full replacement is triggered by mechanical damage, contamination that cannot be removed, or adhesion failure over a meaningful fraction of the label. Re-label is used for legibility loss (fading, scuffing) where the surface and adhesion remain sound.
5. Does the label need to be replaced if the battery cells are serviced but the rack is not?
Cell-level service that does not disturb the rack surface does not, on its own, require re-application. Any event that disturbs the label surface, removes the label, or alters the rack drawing does require a new application and a new register entry.