Handling of the End of Life Electric Vehicle Batteries for Stationary Storage Applications

There is a considerable amount of energy left in the `used' Lithium Ion Batteries (LIBs) in the Electric Vehicles (EVs) after they reach their End of Life (EOL) i.e. 80% of their initial capacity. Reusage of the EV batteries facilitates a circular economy which helps with a lower cost acquisition to boost the sales of EVs. In addition, the reuse of the EOL batteries in non-automotive applications like stationary storage system can reduce the initial cost of the batteries and also subsidize the actual cost of the application as well. However, the handling process of the EOL batteries is a crucial step towards the successful deployment of the second life batteries. This paper describes the handling of EOL batteries for building a prototype battery pack as a stationary storage device.

I. Introduction

Electric Vehicles (EVs) have emerged as an inevitable entity to cope up with the depletion of the fossil fuels globally and the consequential rise in oil prices. Moreover, EVs have several environmental benefits compared to conventional internal combustion vehicles. The growth in the production and sales of the EVs has been increasing every year and there has been tremendous efforts from the global community to implement the EV technologies. Globally, the number of EVs exceeds 3 million and it is expected to reach a count of 220 million EVs by the end of 2030 [1]. Lithium ion batteries are widely used as the source of energy for the EVs. These batteries are the most preferable technology due to their relatively high voltage profile, enhanced volumetric and gravimetric energy density and a longer cycle life. The lithium ion batteries come with various chemistries that comprise various combinations of anode and cathode materials. Each chemistry has its own advantages and short-comings in terms of safety, performance, cost, cycle life and other parameters. Between the years 2010 and 2017, the production capacity of lithium ion batteries for EVs has increased from 0.4 to 94.2 GWh [1].