Batteries also have "IDs", and the monopoly on new energy vehicle maintenance is "broken".
In April this year, the Interim Measures for the Management of Recycling and Comprehensive Utilization of Used Power Batteries for New Energy Vehicles (Order No. 73 of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Commerce, and the State Administration for Market Regulation) (hereinafter referred to as the Interim Measures) officially came into effect.
"The Interim Measures require automobile manufacturers and battery manufacturers to disclose battery codes, disassembly technology, and maintenance technology information, which is equivalent to breaking the previously unbreakable technological barriers at the institutional level and sending a clear and positive signal for breaking the maintenance monopoly," Yuan Shuai, the deputy secretary-general of the Zhongguancun Internet of Things Industry Alliance, told Economic Observer.
According to third - party statistics, during the maintenance of new energy vehicles, about 75% of battery failures are local problems such as cell voltage difference, BMS error reporting, temperature control module failure, and poor wiring harness contact. These problems can be solved by replacing modules or repairing individual cells, and the cost is only 10% to 30% of replacing the entire battery pack, that is, a few hundred to a few thousand yuan. However, in the past, due to technological monopoly and information asymmetry, these minor repairable faults were magnified into major overhauls that required the replacement of the entire battery pack, and car owners had little ability to resist.
From automobile manufacturers to battery manufacturers, from third - party repair shops to insurance companies, how will this after - sales cake worth hundreds of billions of yuan be re - divided?
01
How the New Regulations "Break the Ice"
The Interim Measures are not specifically designed to address the maintenance monopoly. It is a management regulation on the recycling and comprehensive utilization of used power batteries. However, the objective spill - over effect of this document may be more far - reaching than its main goal. The technological barriers in the maintenance of the "three - electric" systems, which have long been firmly controlled by automobile manufacturers and battery manufacturers, have begun to show policy - induced cracks.
Article 9 of the Interim Measures clearly states that enterprises that produce or import new energy vehicle power batteries for sale and use in the territory shall, in accordance with the Requirements of the Coding Rules for Automotive Power Batteries (GB/T 34014), code the new energy vehicle power batteries they produce or import for sale and use in the territory, and paste labels on the power battery cells, modules, and battery packs. Article 10 further requires that the power battery codes shall be unique and accurate, and the labels shall be clear, visible, durable, and not easy to replace.
On this basis, Article 12 of the Interim Measures proposes to establish a digital identity card management system for new energy vehicle power batteries. The digital identity card includes necessary information such as the product category, product composition, and scrap recycling of the power battery. This means that from the moment of production, each power battery will have a unique and nationally searchable digital identity, which is associated with all key information in the entire life cycle from production, vehicle installation and sales, battery replacement, maintenance and replacement, vehicle scrapping to recycling and utilization.
Wu Zewei, a special researcher at Sushang Bank, told Economic Observer: "The far - reaching significance of this system is that maintenance institutions can query the battery's health status through the digital code and more accurately locate faults. Consumers can trace the source and history of the battery through the code to avoid being deceived with inferior products. Regulatory authorities can monitor the flow of used batteries throughout the process to prevent them from flowing into illegal channels."
Li Jindi, the general manager of Guangdong Gengjiahao International Certification Co., Ltd. and a national registered auditor, told Economic Observer that the Interim Measures essentially establish a traceable management system for the entire life cycle of power batteries. By standardizing information disclosure, the technological black box is broken, and the responsibility of each link in the industrial chain can be defined, the process can be audited, and the risks can be controlled.
Article 11 and the second paragraph of Article 13 of the Interim Measures are the most institutionally breakthrough provisions in the full text. Article 11 requires that power battery enterprises shall provide new energy vehicle power battery codes and necessary disassembly technology information to relevant new energy vehicle production enterprises, motor vehicle maintenance enterprises, etc. The second paragraph of Article 13 requires that new energy vehicle production enterprises shall timely and effectively disclose automobile maintenance technology information in accordance with relevant national regulations.
The core of these two provisions is to open the maintenance technology black box, which was previously only in the hands of automobile manufacturers and battery manufacturers, to third - party maintenance enterprises. Key resources such as disassembly technology information, maintenance technical parameters, diagnostic permissions, and original parts procurement channels, which were previously tightly locked by automobile manufacturers as trade secrets, are now clearly required to be opened by policies.
This means that compliant third - party maintenance enterprises will obtain the same level of technical support as 4S stores and will no longer be unable to participate in the competition because they "do not know the internal structure of the battery", "cannot obtain original parts", or "cannot obtain diagnostic permissions".
02
The Torn After - Sales Cake
The underlying logic of the "only replace, not repair" approach in new energy vehicle maintenance is not only a technical problem but also a business model problem. The "2025 National Automobile Dealer Survival Status Survey Report" of the China Automobile Dealers Association shows that in 2025, the profit - making ratio of domestic automobile dealers dropped significantly from 39.3% in 2024 to 23.5%, and 55.7% of automobile dealers suffered losses, with the loss ratio expanding compared to 41.7% in the previous year.
Wu Zewei pointed out that the fundamental obstacle to the opening of new energy vehicle maintenance lies in the deep - seated interest binding formed by automobile manufacturers' closed - loop control of the after - sales system. In the fierce market competition, vehicle manufacturers generally adopt a profit model of "offering discounts on front - end sales and making up for losses through back - end after - sales". The closed maintenance system is their lifeline for obtaining stable profits, and opening up technical information is like cutting off their own financial resources. The difficult problem of safety liability attribution caused by the high - degree integration of the three - electric systems also makes automobile manufacturers tend to build exclusive technological barriers on the grounds of safety.
According to the "2025 National Automobile Dealer Survival Status Survey Report" of the China Automobile Dealers Association, in terms of the gross profit composition of domestic automobile dealers in 2025, the contribution rate of new car gross profit was - 25.5%; after - sales service became the most core profit support for dealers, with a gross profit contribution rate of 80.8%; and the contribution rate of financial insurance gross profit was 24.3%.
In the view of Yuan Shuai, the deputy secretary - general of the Zhongguancun Internet of Things Industry Alliance, the "three - electric" systems of new energy vehicles are not only the technological core but also the key for automobile manufacturers to build a moat for after - sales profits. Opening up maintenance technology and data means that automobile manufacturers will lose part of the control and profit source in the after - sales market, which is a new test for them.
However, the market will not stop because of the resistance of automobile manufacturers. Before the official implementation of the Interim Measures, there have been cases within the industry where automobile manufacturers voluntarily offered concessions to consumers in after - sales services. In March 2026, Li Auto announced that for the upcoming new - generation Li L9 Livis, the small maintenance cycle of the range extender's engine oil and oil filter will be extended to 3 years or 30,000 kilometers (whichever comes first). Compared with the current L9's 1 - year/10,000 - kilometer cycle, this adjustment is equivalent to voluntarily giving up part of the after - sales maintenance revenue.
Regarding the long - term development of automobile manufacturers and dealers, Yuan Shuai made the following judgment: "In the short term, after - sales profits will be affected to a certain extent, but in the long run, the opening of the maintenance market will force automobile manufacturers to improve their core technological competitiveness and promote their transformation from after - sales monopoly - based profit - making to technology - innovation - based profit - making."
The role of battery manufacturers is more complex than that of automobile manufacturers. They are both the regulatory targets of the Interim Measures and the key suppliers of open maintenance technology information. According to Article 11 of the Interim Measures, power battery enterprises shall provide battery codes and necessary disassembly technology information to relevant new energy vehicle production enterprises, motor vehicle maintenance enterprises, etc. This means that the maintenance manuals, testing software, and cell parameters, which are regarded as core secrets by battery manufacturers, will have to be made public to the industry.
Yuan Shuai pointed out that as core component suppliers, battery manufacturers often have close cooperative relationships with automobile manufacturers. The opening of battery technology may affect their cooperation models with automobile manufacturers and even involve the risk of technology leakage. Therefore, the enthusiasm of battery manufacturers for information disclosure remains to be seen.
In fact, battery manufacturers are facing a balancing act. On the one hand, disclosing technical information means exposing some core intellectual property rights, which may weaken their bargaining power in the game with automobile manufacturers. On the other hand, opening up may also bring new business opportunities.
Li Jindi said that although battery manufacturers are forced to open interface standards, they can also establish new ISO 14001 environmental compliance barriers in the recycling and regeneration process. That is, when the "front door" of the maintenance market is forced open, battery manufacturers can establish new competitive thresholds at the "back door" of recycling and utilization and make up for the lost profits in the recycling process.
Among all the stakeholders of the Interim Measures, third - party repair shops are the clear beneficiaries. Wu Zewei said that the Interim Measures are a major benefit to third - party maintenance enterprises, giving them a fair chance to compete.
In the past, for the "three - electric" systems of batteries, motors, and electronic controls, third - party repair shops had neither diagnostic permissions nor access to maintenance manuals, and they could not obtain original parts. All data and technical information were firmly controlled by automobile manufacturers. When a car broke down, it could only be repaired at the direct - sales stores designated by the automobile manufacturers, and often the "replace - instead - of - repair" approach was adopted. Repair shops did not even have the chance to enter the market.
Among all the stakeholders, insurance companies play the most special role. They are not the direct regulatory targets of the Interim Measures, but they are the potential biggest beneficiaries after the implementation of the Interim Measures.
In the past few years, new energy vehicle insurance has been a persistent problem in the insurance industry. Data shows that in 2025, the insurance industry in China insured 43.58 million new energy vehicles, with a premium income of 190 billion yuan, but the underwriting loss still reached 5.6 billion yuan, and the comprehensive cost ratio only decreased by 1.3 percentage points year - on - year. The average annual premium per vehicle was about 4,360 yuan, a decrease of about 178 yuan compared to 2024, but there were still 143 vehicle models with a claim ratio of over 100%, accounting for more than 30%.
The reason why insurance companies "receive more but pay more" lies in the high and uncontrollable maintenance costs. The "only replace, not repair" approach leads to claim amounts of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan, and the lack of third - party maintenance channels leaves insurance companies with little bargaining power.
Wu Zewei believes that the Interim Measures will bring about a structural reduction in maintenance costs and an increase in transparency for insurance companies, which will relieve their current operational pressure of difficult pricing and high claims in new energy vehicle insurance and lay the foundation for the healthy development of the vehicle insurance market. Li Jindi further analyzed from the perspective of risk management that standardized technical information supports insurance companies to establish a precise loss - assessment model based on the ISO 31000 risk management framework, which is expected to solve the claim black hole caused by the "only replace, not repair" approach, and insurance companies will be the beneficiaries.
However, Yuan Shuai also reminded that the opening of the maintenance market may lead to more diversified maintenance prices, increasing the difficulty of loss assessment and claims settlement for insurance companies. In the future, there may be a large difference in the quotes for the same fault between 4S stores and third - party repair shops. Insurance companies need to establish more refined loss - assessment standards, which poses new requirements for their claims management capabilities.
03
Suspense and Challenges
It has only been a few days since the implementation of the Interim Measures, and the extent of its impact on the new energy vehicle maintenance market remains uncertain.
The Interim Measures have broken the technological barriers, but maintenance capabilities cannot be developed overnight. Public information shows that among the 400,000 traditional automobile repair shops in the country, only about 20,000 to 30,000 have the qualification for new energy vehicle maintenance, and those with in - depth maintenance capabilities for the three - electric systems are even rarer.
Yuan Shuai reminded that due to the long - standing technological gap and insufficient talent reserve, it is difficult for them to compete with the official maintenance points of automobile manufacturers in the short term, and it will still take time to truly enter the market. Li Jindi also emphasized that third - party repair shops must invest in the qualification certification of high - voltage operation personnel and the calibration system of special equipment.
The safety threshold of high - voltage electricity operation is a real challenge for third - party repair shops. The working voltage of electric vehicles can easily reach hundreds of volts. Repair points without professional training and without anti - static and insulation equipment cannot undertake the maintenance of the three - electric systems at all.
In March 2026, the Research Working Group on the Development and Competition Trends of the New Energy Vehicle After - Sales Maintenance Industry held its first seminar in Ningbo, Zhejiang. Nearly 40 experts from industry associations, universities, vehicle manufacturers, third - party maintenance enterprises, and insurance companies participated in the discussion. The participating experts put forward systematic suggestions on seven aspects, including improving the maintenance service network, strengthening the construction of the maintenance talent team, and promoting the orderly opening of maintenance technology information. This marks the start of the co - governance mechanism at the industry level.
"One of the key reasons why many automobile manufacturers and battery manufacturers are reluctant to open up new energy vehicle maintenance is the competition for digital sovereignty under the 'software - defined vehicle' architecture. That is, the core intellectual property rights such as the battery management system control strategy, thermal management algorithm, and high - voltage interlock logic are deeply coupled with physical components, forming de facto technological barriers, which are fundamentally different from the standardized and reverse - engineerable mechanical structure characteristics of traditional fuel vehicles," Li Jindi said.
It is worth noting that the legislation on the "right to repair" of automobiles in the era of intelligence and electrification is becoming an important issue in global automobile industry governance. In 2023, the European Court made a landmark ruling: automobile manufacturers cannot restrict access to maintenance data on the grounds of network security. This ruling has broken the common excuse of automobile manufacturers for building technological barriers on the grounds of safety.
Li Jindi pointed out that the Interim Measures essentially establish a traceable management system for the entire life cycle of power batteries, which is highly consistent with the two motives of the EU for promoting data access - ensuring emission performance and maintaining fair market competition - in terms of institutional logic. This step taken by China in the field of opening up new energy vehicle maintenance not only responds to the demands of domestic car owners but also puts China in a position of synchronous exploration with Europe and the United States in global automobile industry governance.
Looking back at the global automobile maintenance market, from the legislation in Massachusetts, the United States in the 1990s to force automobile manufacturers to open up maintenance diagnostic information, to the EU's adoption of the "Competition Rules for the Automotive Repair Industry" in 2002 to break the monopoly of the brand - authorized maintenance system, and then to the European Court's ruling in 2023 that automobile manufacturers cannot restrict access to maintenance data on the grounds of network security, it has taken more than 30 years for this game around the right to repair to gradually mature at the global level.
"The implementation of the Interim Measures is a step towards the maturity and standardization of the new energy vehicle after - sales market. Although there will inevitably be various resistances in the process, the positive signal it sends will inject impetus into the healthy development of the entire industry," Yuan Shuai said.
This article is from the WeChat public account "Economic Observer", author: Pu Zhenyu, published by 36Kr with authorization.