> A portable battery shall be considered readily removable by the end-user where it can be removed from a product with the use of commercially available tools, without requiring the use of specialised tools, unless provided free of charge with the product, proprietary tools, thermal energy, or solvents to disassemble the product.[0]
So, for example, Apple's chunky multi step DIY battery swap kit is perfectly allowable if it's provided for free.
"Commercially available tools" also includes stuff like Torx screws. So, again, the current system by most manufacturers is doable with very minor modifications. Open a few Torx screws, slowly pull off the command strip sticker under the battery, replace new battery, done.
The HN/Reddit crowd's minds went right back to the 90s and 00s where you could (and had to) carry 3 separate batteries and could swap them on the go, which isn't the goal of this regulation at all.
[0] https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/PE-2-2023-INIT... - article 11
"A portable battery should be considered to be removable by the end-user when it can be removed with the use of commercially available tools and without requiring the use of specialised tools, unless they are provided free of charge, or proprietary tools, thermal energy or solvents to disassemble it. Commercially available tools are considered to be tools available on the market to all end-users without the need for them to provide evidence of any proprietary rights and that can be used with no restriction, except health and safety-related restrictions."
I think a deposit for specialised tools is fair to ensure a return of the tools, other than that, there is nothing controversial here.