Policies and projects are actively being implemented to enable batteries from electric vehicles that have reached the end of their lifespan to be reused in various places, such as electric wheelchairs and energy storage devices.

The Korea Energy Economics Institute estimated that 78,981 electric vehicle waste batteries will be discharged domestically by 2029, and SNE Research announced that the global waste battery reuse market will reach 187 GWh in 2030 and 1,849 GWh in 2040.

▲ Global battery recycling market size and outlook (Source: Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Small and Medium Business Technology Roadmap)

The global battery reuse market applies to the battery recycling market, and the battery recycling market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% from USD 16.2 billion in 2019 to USD 23.1 billion in 2025. The domestic battery recycling market is expected to grow from KRW 185.7 billion in 2019 to KRW 264.9 billion in 2025.

Battery reuse is attracting attention not only from the consumer perspective in terms of quality and cost effectiveness, but also from the national perspective in terms of energy and resource conservation and reduction of carbon emissions.

Reusing batteries after use has higher resource productivity, economic and social effects than recycling, and can reduce costs by more than 70%.

The technology to reuse waste electric vehicle batteries refers to the technology to reuse batteries separated from electric vehicles as electric vehicle batteries or as energy storage devices (ESS) based on their remaining capacity life or state of health (SOH). When reused as ESS, they can be used for an additional 5 to 10 years.

It is classified as a waste battery because it cannot be used as a battery for electric vehicles, but due to the nature of automobiles, if the storage capacity falls below 80%, it can cause a driving hazard, so its use is discontinued. However, if it is used for purposes that do not require high output, 80% storage capacity is not a problem.

Repurposing electric vehicle batteries requires a repurposing process.

According to the technology roadmap of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, reuse of batteries can be achieved by disassembling them into cell units beyond packs or modules, but since cell unit utilization is not economically feasible, secondary use through repurposed packs or modules is currently in progress. The use of battery packs is being developed as a power storage device for mobile charging support vehicles and an ESS connected to the power grid for renewable energy sources. The use of modular units is being considered as a way to apply them to areas where lead-acid batteries of similar capacity were used.

As the obligation to return used batteries to local governments has been abolished in Korea, the government is establishing a system to enable private sector reuse and recycling projects, and is expanding the construction of 'Used Secondary Battery Support Centers' in Jeju, Naju, Ulsan, and Pohang to support companies' secondary battery selection (performance, stability evaluation, etc.). The center will conduct R&D related to the strategy of reusing used batteries as ESS and predicting the remaining useful life of electric vehicle used batteries.

Hyundai Motor Group is conducting a demonstration project by grafting ESS using spent electric vehicle batteries onto solar power generation systems through business agreements with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and OCI. Hyundai Motor and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power plan to promote a 3GWh-scale reused ESS project by 2030 in conjunction with renewable energy projects such as floating solar power and island wind power projects. Hyundai Motor and OCI plan to install the ESS developed by Hyundai Motor at OCI’s solar power plant in Texas and conduct a joint demonstration analysis.

SK ON is currently conducting a demonstration project through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's regulatory sandbox demonstration special case for waste battery reuse ESS. It has started a project to install ESS made from batteries from electric vehicles, etc. at SK Ecoplant's apartment construction site.

Overseas automakers are also reviewing the business feasibility of building and developing their own ESS based on used batteries. BMW, in cooperation with a Swedish energy company, installed a 2MWh ESS in Hamburg using 2,600 used battery modules. Renault has installed a 50MWh ESS using waste batteries at its factory and is currently pursuing a demonstration project to combine it with electric vehicle rapid charging stations.

Not all batteries can be reused. After detailed analysis of charge/discharge efficiency and lifespan, residual value is determined, and then classified into △reuse △remanufacturing △recycling △disposal according to performance.

The collected batteries undergo △basic data analysis △appearance inspection process △basic inspection △precise inspection. Precise inspection includes output performance evaluation and complete discharge capacity evaluation.