The electric vehicle market has expanded dramatically, although up-front raw material cost still puts a damper on it. Recycling old battery materials will bring the input cost down, but repurposing whole batteries is becoming even more beneficial. We share breaking news of certification of second-life batteries in China .
Rules for Certification of Second-Life Batteries in China
The China Quality Certification Center announced a new standard for second-life power batteries on February 20, 2025. Although this specifically applies to battery electric vehicles, and so the scope is limited.
There is a new traceability code for such batteries, according to the announcement we link to below. The related standard adheres to current rules for technical requirements, and testing methods for second-use lithium iron phosphate batteries in communication base stations.
Companies involved in repurposing second-life electric vehicle batteries in China, may now apply for certification. This new policy aims to regulate the certification and reuse of these vehicle batteries in other applications.
Recycling EV Materials Versus Second-Life Batteries
An article we found at AD Little website, contrasts recovering spent battery materials, with using entire batteries for other purposes. The author confirms that repurposing is potentially more beneficial, because it generates additional income. And this could in turn reduce the operating cost of electric vehicles.
The concern to date has been that electric vehicle batteries are no longer viable, after they lose 20% of their capacity. Although they still have a long life left, meaning we could deploy them to lower-demand applications.
Repurposing second-life electric vehicle batteries defers the need to dismantle them, and does away with manufacturing some other types of batteries. The main focus, currently, is converting spent electric vehicle batteries to storage units.
However, a long road lies ahead, of which quality certification is a necessary step. Battery raw material prices are high. This can make recycling electric vehicle batteries more profitable in the short run, than finding them second lives.
More Information
How Porsche Repurposes Its Taycan Batteries
Repurposing Nissan Batteries From Leaf
