Margaret Slattery, Jessica Dunn, and Alissa Kendall, all affiliated with the Energy and Efficiency Institute at the University of California, Davis, US, explore the mapping of North America’s electric vehicle battery reuse and recycling network in their newly published research paper.
In this paper, the researchers outline the EV End-of-Life (EOL) network through interviews conducted with experts from various sectors linked to vehicle and battery reuse and recycling. The interviews reveal the emergence of market-driven reuse and recycling industries in North America, with EOL EVs managed through established channels handling Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars, such as independent auto recyclers and OEM network dealerships in the United States. Stakeholders exhibit a strong commitment to recycling batteries at EOL, which is motivating novel partnerships between manufacturers and recyclers. However, there is no comprehensive EOL policy that directs how batteries should be managed.
The safety and livelihoods of individuals in these industries face significant impacts due to vehicle electrification. Therefore, their insights are crucial in identifying the strengths and limitations of the existing system. Additionally, there’s a growing cluster of companies specializing in Lithium-Ion Battery (LIB) processes—repurposing, reusing, and recycling EV batteries. These stakeholders emphasize circularity in the LIB value chain and anticipate recycling as a vital source of battery materials in the future.
Common challenges across sectors include safety concerns and the cost of transporting EOL batteries. However, unique challenges and concerns also exist within different groups. Stakeholders in the independent afterlife vehicle market worry about the unlicensed handling of EOL EVs and are wary of potential cost-increasing regulations. Smaller repurposing companies struggle with product certification costs and accessing information about battery capacity.
Moreover, tensions between OEMs and independent companies could arise concerning battery control. OEMs aim to maintain control for safety and material supply chain reasons, potentially disadvantaging repurposing companies competing for batteries, especially with policies favoring recycled materials.
Efforts by state and federal governments in the US and Canada are underway to address these challenges through policies. For instance, California’s labeling requirements aim to standardize LIB information, while funding and incentives under the US Inflation Reduction Act support domestic component manufacturing and recycled material usage. However, a mechanism ensuring LIB collection and recycling or a national tracking system is absent, leading to reliance on profitability for recovered materials or reused batteries, posing a risk of stranded LIBs or wasted materials.
This study presents an initial overview of EOL EV LIB pathways, reflecting various stakeholder perspectives, qualitative barriers, and opportunities. However, it acknowledges limitations, such as focusing solely on battery EV passenger cars and the absence of quantification regarding the volume of retired LIBs handled through different channels. Further research is needed to explore these pathways comprehensively and quantify their impact.
To read the paper, please go to www.sciencedirect.com
