A method for estimating a current open-circuit voltage characteristic of a battery, comprising acquiring a portion of an actual open-circuit voltage characteristic of the battery, detecting or defining a significant point in the acquired portion of the actual open-circuit voltage characteristic, identifying a point, in a characteristic curve of an anode potential of the battery and/or in a characteristic curve of a cathode potential of the battery, that is associated with the significant point, shifting and/or scaling the characteristic curve of the anode potential and the characteristic curve of the cathode potential on the basis of the position of the significant point with respect of the associated point, until the acquired portion is simulated by combination of the shifted and/or scaled characteristic curves, and calculating the current open-circuit voltage characteristic on the basis of the shifted and/or scaled characteristic curves.