Date: Oct 18, 2023
Have you ever wondered what happens to old electric car batteries? If the world is moving towards more EVs, the automotive industry needs to have a solution for electric car battery recycling. Like engine oil and tires, we can’t just throw batteries into a trash can to take care of EV battery disposal the easy way.
Find out more about electric car battery recycling from the team at BMW of Pembroke Pines near Miami. We’ll tell you what happens to old electric car batteries with our guide!
The useful life of an electric vehicle battery is when its efficiency drops to 70 to 75% of full capacity. At present, the federal government requires all automakers to offer an EV battery warranty of eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
When it’s time for EV battery disposal, auto service centers authorized to swap out batteries will remove the old ones and ship them to a facility. At this specialized electric car battery recycling center, the facility will break each EV battery down into its component parts. The metals in the shell can be separated out easily enough. So, the copper, steel, and aluminum can go to metals recycling smelters.
However, the battery cells themselves, made of other metals like lithium, cobalt, manganese, and nickel, can go back to battery manufacturers to be reused into new EV batteries.
Some of the metals, like cobalt and manganese, are expensive to produce and mine. And some virgin materials might have supply chain issues based on geopolitical forces from foreign countries. As such, electric car battery recycling can maintain a steady supply chain for new cells.
Another factor to consider is the environmental impact. Companies can mine fewer metals with this method of EV battery disposal. As production of EVs ramps up in the late 2020s and early 2030s, more and more of these metals are needed to keep up with demand.
Even at 70% capacity, many EV batteries can store 20 to 90 kWh of power. There are some companies that can repurpose complete EV batteries into storage batteries for homes. These former EV batteries can come into play when the power goes out or when solar or wind power is not available. So, these power packs can have a second life after EV battery disposal for another 10 years, if needed.
Ready to take the wheel of your next new vehicle? Why not make it an EV? Contact us, call , or schedule a test drive at your convenience. We think you’ll love our selection of EVs for sale near Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood.
