It's one of the many worries about electric vehicles: What happens to the battery packs of EVs when they're used up? Even though the lifespan of electric car batteries is impressively long, they're still recyclable when they finally bite the dust. Let us run you through the process.

Are EV batteries recyclable?

EV battery recycling is possible and encouraged. The batteries in our EVs will have a long life before they're no longer fit for use in a car, but that doesn't mean they'll be useless. Most EV batteries are given a new purpose in storing energy in the electricity network and in our homes.

How are they recycled?

Instead of trashing the batteries, auto recyclers send them to specialist firms that dismantle the packs and break them down into their different materials: wires, circuitry, plastics, and the actual cells. The battery cells are opened using 2 techniques: simple crushing (hydrometallurgy), or carbonisation in furnaces (pyrometallurgy).  The resulting powder will be separated into valuable materials like copper, aluminium, plastic, and lithium salts. They are then turned into pure ingots to make all sorts of new objects.

A lot of those components are, in fact, infinitely recyclable, meaning they can be used and reused again and again. In theory, this means batteries will get cheaper over time as the materials to make them become more readily available.

A second life for used EV batteries?

Batteries that have reached 70% of their capacity can be reused before being recycled. They can be used to store energy. The use of stationary energy storage plays a key role in providing electricity during periods of insufficient production. This contributes to a more efficient use of resources.