Closing the Loop on Circular Economy in Transportation Electrification: Reuse, Repurposing, and Recycling of Power Electronics and Electric Machines

The electrification of transportation is a pivotal step towards sustainable and environmentally conscious mobility. However, as the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and associated technologies continues to grow, the need for effective strategies to manage end-of-life components becomes increasingly crucial from both sustainability and economic standpoints. Obtaining essential rare-earth (RE) materials such as cobalt, lithium, neodymium, and terbium has become progressively more difficult and costly. Furthermore, the extraction and processing of these materials produce significant carbon emissions and the release of harmful toxins. The economic value of the materials and components in EVs are generally 20-30% higher than that in the conventional internal combustion engine (ICE)-based vehicles due to the increased use of lightweight and RE materials in batteries and electric motors. This paper aims to address the imperative of closing the loop on the circular economy within the realm of transportation electrification, with a specific focus on electric drives (i.e., power electronics and electric machines) as well as batteries with reuse, repurposing, and recycling technologies.

I. Introduction

The electrification of transportation is a pivotal step towards sustainable and environmentally conscious mobility. However, as the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and sustainable energy generation continues to grow, the need for effective strategies to manage end-of-life components becomes increasingly crucial. This paper addresses the imperative of closing the loop on the circular economy within the realm of transportation electrification, with a specific focus on power electronics, electric machines, and batteries, as shown in Fig. 1.