If you’re in the market for a new EV car battery, there’s a couple of things you should know. First, EVs can run on a variety of battery types, from lead-acid batteries to lithium-ion batteries. Second, you may want to find a manufacturer that recycles and reuses the batteries you get. This will reduce waste and keep them from ending up in a landfill.
Lithium-ion batteries
Lithium-ion car batteries have a much longer lifespan than lead-acid car batteries. They can last more than 100,000 miles. The battery in your Toyota Prius Prime will have enough energy to cover 60 kilometers (about 37 miles) when fully charged.
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, lithium-ion car batteries may last up to 15 years in moderate climates. That means the average electric vehicle will have seven years of reliable service. But, it is important to note that not all lithium-ion batteries will last that long.
The European Commission plans to build a major cross-border program to develop the next generation of lithium-ion batteries. It will focus on improving their performance and reducing the supply chain risks.
In the United States, the Department of Energy acknowledges that the industry has taken steps to improve the lifetime of electric car batteries. Some of these efforts include improved safety management and state-of-charge management.
Remanufacturing
Remanufacturing an EV car battery is a great way to reuse some of the materials used to make the battery. Moreover, it can help reduce the overall cost of the battery.
As the number of EVs grows, the use of battery remanufacturing techniques becomes more and more viable. It can also help to preserve the environment.
There are many factors that contribute to the environmental impact of an EV. One of the largest contributors is the battery. A remanufacturing process can produce more EV batteries with lower costs, and it can maintain the value gap between new and used batteries.
Several automakers have announced collaborations with recyclers. For example, Nissan has partnered with Sumitomo Corporation to repurpose the batteries of the Nissan Leaf. They will be reused in consumer-level portable energy storage packs.
Another company, Ascend Elements, uses a patented process to upcycle cathodes that would otherwise go into landfills. The company claims that their process can recover almost all of the metals that were used to make the battery.
Repurposing
Repurposing electric car batteries is becoming a growing industry. Automakers are partnering with recycling companies to secure their battery stream and repurpose them for energy storage solutions.
The repurposing process of EV batteries includes a number of considerations, such as ensuring the safety of the material. It also involves screening and sorting processes. In addition, a strong consumer protection framework is necessary to ensure that the material is recycled and reused properly.
The process of repurposing an EV battery can be difficult. Many manufacturers produce battery packs with varying levels of mechanical and chemical complexity. Because of this, it’s important to work with testing partners.
Aside from using a repurposed EV battery to power an electrical grid or a building, a second life application could include the use of a battery to power a factory that produces new batteries. This would reduce the need for additional energy production.
Several countries in Europe have seen firsthand the potential of repurposing EV batteries. For example, Nissan and Volvo have teamed up with a second-life battery energy storage company called Connected Energy. Similarly, Hyundai has launched a recycling program to turn discarded EV batteries into power sources for the electrical grid.
Recycling
Recycling EV car batteries is a critical step in moving towards cleaner transportation. There are several different ways to go about this. Some batteries can be refurbished, reused or sold. However, recycling EV batteries is not a quick or inexpensive process.
The biggest challenge is that there are not a lot of facilities in the United States that recycle electric vehicle batteries. This is due to the fact that there are not enough EVs on the road. But as more EVs are added to the fleet, more battery recycling companies will be popping up.
One company that is focusing on reusing and remanufacturing used EV batteries is Redwood Materials. It’s based in Nevada and recently raised $700 million from investors. They are working with auto manufacturers to increase reuse of raw materials in the manufacturing of new batteries.
Batteries contain a range of materials, including lithium salts, cobalt, nickel, manganese, stainless steel and aluminum. These metals can be extracted from a battery using a process called hydrometallurgy.