Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling

More and more automakers are heading toward an electric future, which is why you’ve likely seen an increase in EVs on your daily drives. If you are thinking about adopting the EV lifestyle yourself or you are a current EV owner, you may be curious about what happens to old electric car batteries that have worn out over time. When it’s time for EV battery disposal, is electric car battery recycling an option? Yes, many EV batteries are recycled and kept out of landfills. We take a closer look at EV battery disposal and the electric car battery recycling process below. 

What Happens to Old Electric Car Batteries? 

So, what happens to old electric car batteries when they’ve reached the end of their life cycle? The batteries are recyclable, so auto recyclers ship the batteries off to specialized firms that disassemble the battery pack. The components are separated, and the cells and circuits are crushed to separate and purify the metals and valuable resources they contain. 

Holman responsibly disposes of hybrid batteries, too. Most automakers have guidelines and collection programs for hybrid batteries. 

EV Battery Disposal and Recycling 

The process of electric car battery recycling is very similar to that of hybrid battery recycling. Here’s a general overview: 

• EV battery packs are shipped to a facility that specializes in recycling and disassembling the batteries. 
• In most cases, 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. This leads to a pure supply of materials like lithium, cobalt, manganese, aluminum, and nickel. 

The Future of EV Battery Recycling

Is it possible to repurpose an EV battery? While it is possible, as of right now, there is not a robust market for “second-use” EV batteries due to the cost of repurposing the battery. It is very likely that the demand for EV batteries will rise steadily in the coming years. While liquid hydrocarbons no longer provide energy after they’re burned, many components of an EV battery, such as cobalt, can be reused over and over. Batteries that can no longer operate in peak condition offer a source of valuable resources, cutting back on the amount of materials that need to be mined. 

Experience an EV Today with Holman

Now that you know what happens to old electric car batteries during electric car battery recycling, are you interested in learning more about EV ownership? We’d be happy to share why an EV can be an excellent investment. Visit any of our locations, or reach out to us with questions.