We're always hearing about how EVs are kinder to the environment but those that consider the production and lifespan process of an EV will raise questions about the production and recycling of the battery components. We look at how EV batteries live on after their lives in vehicles and how they can be recycled for future use.
As electric vehicles (EVs) start to be promoted in earnest and gain popularity, new challenges are being discovered. The increasing demand for EVs has seen an increase in the demand for Lithium-ion Batteries (LiBs) and the materials required to produce them. These materials usually consist of Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, and Manganese. These metals carry a fair value, especially Cobalt, and simply discarding the battery once it’s reached the end of its life is not only wasteful but poses health risks if allowed to disseminate into the environment.
This has caused considerable concern for both governments and consumers alike, especially from those who are yet to accept electrification in mobility. Batteries and battery cells inherently have a lifespan and responsible, efficient disposal or repurposing of these units has come under scrutiny as the number of EVs on the roads increases.
Usable lifespan
EV batteries comprise multiple cells, tied together to form one large unit capable of providing the charge needed in an EV. As we learned from our experience with cellphones, LiBs performance deteriorates after some time, resulting in decreased performance. In an EV, this results in a diminished range for the vehicle.
An EV battery is regarded as being at the end of its life when the battery health drops to 70%. Some manufacturers will suggest that 80% is the minimum for their units though. In other words, a 100 kWh battery that can only store 80 kWh charge has an 80% health. Thankfully, as time passes, the expected lifespan of EV cells are ending up significantly longer than originally anticipated. Most manufacturers will offer an 8-year guarantee, ensuring that you will have at least 80% battery health after 8-years, provided charging guidelines have been followed.
Once the battery reaches the end of this lifespan it needs to be replaced. This phase prompted entities to experiment with repurposing these batteries, giving them a second-life. This repurposing usually consists of domestic or industrial charge storage where 70% or 80% is suitable for the application. Several battery packs will be tied together to increase the overall storage capacity and is typically used in solar installations.
Once the packs are no longer usable in this instance, they are then considered for recycling.
Recycling EV batteries
EV batteries can be recycled and the valuable metals extracted with up to 98% of the ore able to be extracted successfully. Two methods are typical used, pyrometallurgy or hydrometallurgy, with various benefits and detractions to each method.
Pyrometallurgy involves incinifating the battery and then using chemical solutions to separate the various metal content in the remains. This requires significant energy to process and still relies on chemical processing.
Hydrometallurgy relies solely on liquid chemical destruction to dissolve unwanted materials and separate the various metals for reuse.
The metals are then repurposed, most often by battery manufacturers again to produce EV and consumer electronic batteries.
While still an intricate and involved process, the technology surrounding EV batteries continues to evolve and manufacturers are under pressure to ensure that their units are recycleable and that their new batteries are constructed from recycled metals to a certain extent. China was the first to enforce the recycling of LiB batteries and now recycles more LiB batteries than the rest of the world combined.
While recycling of batteries is still limited in South Africa, it’s only a matter of time before the industry comes to the forefront, helping solve the Lithium-ion battery concerns.
Chad LückhoffWith over 18 years of motorsport commentary and a passion for 90s Japanese Sports Cars, Chad Lückhoff is happiest when surrounded by drift cars and smoking tyres. His experience as the Technical Editor of the country’s top tuning magazine means that it’s the nuts and bolts of motoring that tickles his fancy. As comfortable in front of the camera as he is behind it, he’ll take you behind the wheel with his video reviews, written recounts, and invoking photography. One of the first to join the AutoTrader fray, Chad has been living his passion at AutoTrader for over 7-years.View News & Reviews
Keyword: Are Electric Vehicle Batteries Recyclable?