Reprocessing Retired EV Batteries for Secondary Use

With the rapid growth of EVs on roads, the total amount of EV batteries reaching end-of-life will is growing exponentially year after year. Globally in 2020 there were 14GWh of retired EV batteries pa, and figure is expected to reach 300GWh pa by 2030 and 1100GWh pa by 2040, according to the IDTechEx report.

EV batteries are generally retired due to faded capacity and power that fail to meet the EV range requirement, however, but which still retain 70-80% of their initial capacity and which can be reused. Current methods for processing retired EV batteries include reuse, recycling and disposal. Compared with recycling and disposal, reuse has obvious advantages, e.g. better economic and environmental benefits, if done economically.

Reprocessing retired EV batteries for secondary use involves EV battery capacity testing and disassembling EV battery packs: both are technically challenging.

* EV battery capacity testing involves charging and discharging the battery and is time and energy consuming, hence is not commercially viable for large scale industrial production.
* Due to the wide variety of EV battery designs, variable bolts, flexible components, welds and glues used, a full automatic disassembly process would be very complex to realise and very expensive, and not commercially viable, particularly when the volume of each type retired EV battery is small. Currently, retired EV battery disassembly is largely manually operated and inefficient, and hence is not commercially viable for large scale industrial production.

The project will develop an innovative technology for reprocessing retired EV batteries for secondary use, including fast battery capacity testing and semi-automatic disassembly process technologies, to reduce operational costs and improve production efficiency.

The project aims to extend the lifespan of EV batteries, delay recycling, reduce the volume of retired EV batteries s, and enable large-scale reuse of retired EV batteries, as part of a circular economy.

The project supports the UK's long-term growth aspirations for the supply chain and associated capabilities of the automotive market, and at the end of the project, we expect to establish a competitive and sustainable supply chain and value chain for the UK electric vehicle industry.