What happens to old EV batteries? - Stuff.co.nz

The environment is becoming a key focus in ‘circle of life’ production for most industries these days, and arguably none more so than in automotive manufacture.

From the power source of the factory, through the use of recycled materials and then on to end of life reuse, carmakers are squeezing virtually every last drop out of each and every vehicle component, and that includes EV batteries.

It takes a lot of power to run an electric vehicle, in fact, on average an EV consumes around 0.20 kWh/Km. It’s a tough application for rechargeable batteries too with huge power draws followed by hefty charging regimes and over time, even using ‘by the book’ best practice recharging, at some point the lithium-ion batteries will degrade (approximately a decade), but don’t think all is lost for our multi-celled friend.

There is a misconception that in years to come, our landfills will be awash with toxic battery waste leaking into the earth and soiling our beautiful blue planet. But thanks to ‘second-life’ opportunities and the desirable materials EV batteries are actually made from, the landfill option is actually the least attractive one. So what are the other options?

Simply explained - battery recycling pilot plant at the Volkswagen Group Components site in Salzgitt

Used high-voltage drive batteries from electric vehicles are dismantled into their individual component parts in the plant. The raw materials from the high-voltage battery systems are recovered over several process...



Read Full Story: https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/126225414/what-happens-to-old-ev-batteries

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