What happens to used EV batteries? Manufacturers have a plan for them

Used batteries from electric and hybrid vehicles are a tasty morsel for automakers. Almost all manufacturers have found a way to control them - most often they function as energy storage devices.

The engine performance characteristics of an electric vehicle impose very specific limitations on the battery. If its maximum power drops below a certain level (read: voltage at the poles decreases), the rider will feel it as a decrease in range on a single charge, and sometimes as a decrease in power. This is due to the chemical composition of cells, which you can read about in this article:

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According to Bloomberg (source), Batteries to be removed from an electric or hybrid vehicle still have at least 7-10 consecutive years ahead.... The result is new businesses that rely on partially used traction batteries. And yes:

Nissan uses waste batteries to store energy and city lighting and regenerates them so they can be returned to cars.
Renault uses them in experimental home energy storage devices (pictured) Renault Powervault, energy storage devices for elevators and charging stations,
Chevrolet uses them in a data center in Michigan
BMW uses them to store renewable energy, which is then used to power the BMW i3 car factory.
BYD has used them in universal energy storage devices,
Toyota will install them in 7-Eleven stores in Japan to power refrigerators, heaters and grills.

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According to analysts, already in 2025, 3/4 of spent batteries will be recycled to extract valuable minerals (mainly cobalt). They will also go to homes and apartments to store energy harvested from solar panels and local energy sinks: elevators, lighting, possibly apartments.

Worth reading: Bloomberg

Photo: Renault Powervault, home energy storage (bright "cabinet" in the center of the picture) (c) Renault

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