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Repurposing Used Electric Car Batteries: A Review of Options

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Abstract

In the United States, millions of electric and hybrid vehicles have cumulatively been sold. Although the batteries in these vehicles are expected to last at least 8 years, end-of-life options must still be considered. There are several possible options for battery packs from electric vehicles when they reach end-of-life, including remanufacturing, repurposing for a different application, and recycling. Remanufacturing is the most desirable end-of-life scenario but is the most stringent in terms of battery quality. Recycling is less desirable because there are larger material and energy losses that occur in the process. Repurposing batteries for a different use lies between these two scenarios in terms of desirability. This review paper focuses on non-automotive reuse and explores several options for using electric car battery packs in grid energy storage applications.

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Abbreviations

BMS:

Battery management system

CAES:

Compressed air energy storage

EIA:

Energy Information Administration

EOL:

End-of-life

ICE:

Internal combustion engine

PEV:

Plug-in electric vehicle

SMES:

Superconductive magnetic energy storage

SOC:

State of charge

TEES:

Thermoelectric energy storage

TOU:

Time-of-use

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Acknowledgements

This work is funded by the Center for Resource Recovery and Recycling (CR3). We acknowledge the helpful discussions with the center industrial members and colleagues at WPI’s Center for Resource Recovery and Recycling.

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Author notes

  1. Yan Wang

    Present address: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Center for Resource Recovery, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Center for Resource Recovery, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA

    Mikaela DeRousseau & Diran Apelian

  2. DNV GL Strategic Research and Innovation, 5777 Frantz Rd, Dublin, OH, 43017, USA

    Benjamin Gully & Christopher Taylor

Authors
  1. Mikaela DeRousseau
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  2. Benjamin Gully
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  3. Christopher Taylor
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  4. Diran Apelian
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  5. Yan Wang
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Correspondence to Yan Wang.

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DeRousseau, M., Gully, B., Taylor, C. et al. Repurposing Used Electric Car Batteries: A Review of Options. JOM 69, 1575–1582 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-017-2368-9

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