Don’t put the cart before the horse.
It’s an old saying you don’t hear much anymore but it still rings true today especially with the growing popularity of EVs, particularly as they make their way into Class 1-8 commercial segments.
Bigger vehicle classes demand more batteries which makes the question of the battery life cycle all the more important. Eventually EV batteries wear out and have to be replaced. And unlike lead-acid batteries, the more complex materials of cobalt and manganese cannot be so easily and efficiently recycled.
“Unfortunately, I’m sad to report that it’s not a very efficient process,” BYD’s Senior Sales Manager George Miller said last year at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo. “Right now, they’re smelting these batteries and they’re getting out anywhere from 40 to 60 percent of the cobalt and the rest results in slag — a highly toxic output that is not very usable.”
Lackluster recycling results didn’t stop BYD from opening a battery recycling plant in Shanghai last year. Nor did it stop Volkswagen from recently announcing its own plans for battery recycling and repurposing. I’m not surprised following my interview with VW Group of America President & CEO Scott Keogh on the topic at the LA Auto Show in November.
“Battery recyclability. This is going to be the next pending issue without a doubt. Manufacturers need to come up with ideas,” said Keogh who mentioned that used EV batteries could be used for power storage at VW’s Electrify America charging stations (check out the rest of the interview below).
You might be surprised but when I’ve brought up the issue of EV battery recycling and second-life use with major industry players, including OEMs, I’ve too often been met with blank stares, conciliatory nods and zero substance. This makes absolutely no sense. The battery pack is one of the most expensive parts of an EV and it’s loaded full of materials that if not handled properly present serious safety and contamination issues.
