Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling

What Happens to Old Electric Car Batteries? 

Have you been wondering what happens to old electric car batteries? EV batteries are much larger than the batteries found in internal combustion vehicles, so we understand the concern about the environmental impact of these batteries. During EV battery disposal, many battery components are recyclable. Auto recyclers then ship the batteries off to specialized firms to be properly disassembled. After the battery has been taken apart, the cells and circuits are crushed to sort out and purify the metals.

How are EV Batteries Recycled? – EV Battery Disposal Details 

EV batteries have a long lifespan, but once they are no longer able to operate at full capacity, many components can be recycled. Here’s what happens during electric car battery recycling. 

• EV battery packs are shipped to a facility that specializes in recycling and disassembling the batteries. 
• With most batteries, the steel, copper, or aluminum scrap metal goes into the nationwide metals-recycling stream.
• The battery cells are ground up and the stream is purified, creating a pure supply of materials like lithium, cobalt, manganese, aluminum, and nickel. 

The Future of Repurposing EV Batteries 

Now that you are familiar with the EV battery disposal process, you may be wondering about repurposing EV batteries. While this is possible, it does not happen often. Currently, the process of repurposing EV batteries is not cost-effective. We expect that the technology involved in repurposing EV batteries will advance as the demand for EV batteries grows. 

When a traditional automotive battery reaches the end of its lifecycle, the liquid hydrocarbons cannot provide a source of energy anymore. That is not the case for many of the components that make up an EV battery. Cobalt is a prime example. EV batteries that are no longer in their prime can still offer valuable battery production resources down the road. 

Learn About the Benefits of EV Ownership with Holman INFINITI

After learning about what happens to old electric car batteries and the process of electric car battery recycling, are you ready to make the switch to a new EV? We are more than happy to discuss why an EV is a smart investment. Contact us today for more information. We also have details on electric vehicle resale value.