Worldwide, more and more electric vehicles are colliding with the road. Last year, more than 17 million battery-electric and hybrid vehicles SickedInitial forecasts suggest this year’s figures could reach 20 million. About 20% of all the cars sold today Are electric,
But as more motorists go electric, it creates a new challenge – what to do with a huge battery when they reach the end of their life. He is 12 to 15 years old on averageAlthough real -world data shows that it may be Up to 40% For a long time. Average EV battery weighs 450 kg,
editor’s Note:
Guest writer Professor Habibi The Center is headed by the Green and Smart Energy System at Edith Kovan University (ECU). Dr. Yasir arafat The same institute has a chemical engineer and senior research colleague. This article has been reinstated Conversation Under a Creative Commons License.
By 2030, around 30,000 tons EV batteries require disposal or recycling in Australia. By 2040, the figure is estimated to be 360,000 tonnes and 1.6 million tonnes by 2050.
is this a problem? not necessarily. When a battery reaches the end of its life in a vehicle, there is still a lot of juice. Together, they could provide electricity to small vehicles, homes or, when Daisy-Zunge, even the entire cities.
To work for this, however, we need better information. How healthy are these batteries? What are they made of? Have they ever been in an accident? Currently, the answers to these questions are difficult. It has to be changed.
Vishal capacity, challenging reality
The old EV battery has great capacity. But it will not be easy to feel it.
This is because it is difficult to get accurate data on the performance of the battery, how fast it is insulting and the current status of the battery’s health – now how much capacity is there was what it was new when it was new.
Unfortunately, vehicle manufacturers often make it difficult to get access to this important information. And once a battery pack is removed, we cannot reach its specific data.
It comes with real risks. If there is a mistake in a battery or is shown severely low, it can catch a fire when opened or if used for an inappropriate role. Without data, recycles are blind flying.
Reusing EV batteries will only be financially viable if there is sufficient confidence in the remaining capacity and performance estimates.
Without solid data, investors and companies can hesitate to engage in the revival market due to their involvement in financial risks.
Minerals with a battery
EV batteries are filled with important minerals such as nickel, cobalt, lithium and manganese. Almost everything in an EV battery can be recycled – Up to 95%,
Here too, it is not as easy as it should be. Manufacturer design often with recycling focusing on battery design and safety.
The battery pack is often closed for safety, making it difficult to separate their thousands of individual cells. Eliminating this type of EV battery is extremely labor-intensive and time taking time. Some have to be crushed and later extracted minerals.
The EV battery has widely different -different chemistry, such as lithium iron phosphate and nickel manganese cobalt. But this important information is often not included on the label.
Better ways to assess battery health
The EV batteries used come in three groups based on their health status:
- High (of 80% or more basic capacity): These batteries can be reused for reusing in similar applications, such as electric cars, mopeds, bicycles and golf carts. Some? Can be shaped According to small vehicles.
- Medium (60–80%): These batteries can be renovated for completely different applications, such as stable power storage or uninterrupted power supply.
- Low (below 60%): These batteries undergo credit and refining processes to recover valuable minerals, which can be used to create new batteries.
Researchers have Recently succeeded EVA battery health also used to estimate the health of battery data. But access to use and performance data will still give better estimate.
what’s at stake?
An eV battery is a notable thing. But they rely on long supply chains and have significant minerals, and their construction can cause pollution and carbon emissions.
Ideally, an EV battery will end before recycle. Re -preparing these batteries will help reduce how much new battery is required.
If the old battery is stocked or abandoned improperly, it leads to the risk of fire and potential contamination of soil and water.
Right now, it is difficult for companies and individuals to access each battery performance data. This means that it is very difficult and more expensive to assess its health and the remaining useful life. As a result, more batteries are being released or sent to recycling very quickly.
Recycling EV Battery is one Well -defined procedureBut it is energy-intensive and requires significant chemical treatment.
What needs to be changed?
Currently, many battery manufacturers areware of sharing battery performance data due to concerns on intellectual property and other legal issues. If society has to make full use of these complex energy storage devices, it has to be changed. But this change is unlikely to come from the industry.
In 2021, California introduced laws required by manufacturers to provide access to data and health battery status. Similarly, the European Union will require all EV batteries to come up with digital passports from January 2027, which will have to charge at accidents or extreme temperatures such as records of battery health, chemistry and potential harmful events.
Australia should follow the suit – before we have a mountain of EV battery and no way to reuse them.
Image Credit: Roberto sorin, Neupova
