Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling

Date: Jan 12, 2024

Electric vehicles are becoming a more common sight on the roads of Lawrence and Trenton, and it’s not hard to see why they are so popular with savvy shoppers. Many EV enthusiasts wonder about what happens to old electric car batteries that reach the end of their life cycle, especially since they are much larger than standard car batteries. Fortunately, electric car battery recycling gives new life to many of the raw materials used in the construction of an EV battery. We dive into the details of EV battery disposal below.

What Happens to Old Electric Car Batteries? 

So, what happens to old electric car batteries that are past their prime? Many components can be recycled, so auto recyclers ship the batteries off to specialized firms so that the batteries can be disassembled. The cells and circuits are crushed to sort out and purify the metals.

At Princeton BMW, we responsibly dispose of hybrid batteries, too. Most automakers have guidelines and collection programs regarding hybrid battery recycling. 

EV Battery Disposal – The Recycling Process 

You’ll notice many similarities when looking at the process of recycling EV batteries and hybrid batteries. Here is a general overview of the electric car battery recycling process. 

• 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. 

EV Battery Recycling – Looking Ahead 

Now that you are familiar with the process of EV battery disposal, you may be wondering if EV batteries can be repurposed for future use. It is possible, but currently, it is not a common practice because it is not cost-effective. There are plenty of opportunities to develop new technology as the demand for EV batteries rises, though.

Liquid hydrocarbons can no longer provide energy at the end of a battery’s lifecycle. However, this is not the case for some components of an EV battery, such as cobalt. Cobalt can be reused over and over, making depleted batteries a source of valuable battery production resources. 

Make an EV Your Own Today

Now that you know what happens to old electric car batteries during electric car battery recycling, you may be more interested in learning about the other benefits of EV ownership. We can’t blame you. Visit us today, and we can answer any questions you may have and set you up with a test drive. You can also contact us for details before your visit.