A new partnership between Nissan and Ecobat Solutions UK will investigate how to recover, repair and repurpose used electric vehicle (EV) batteries from UK salvage operators for second-life applications.

Ecobat Solutions UK has announced that it has formed a partnership with Nissan to investigate how used EV batteries within Nissan LEAFs, which were first launched in 2011, can still have a useful life as part of the circular energy economy.

EV battery recycling is an issue. While traditional lead-acid batteries are widely recycled, the same isn’t true for the lithium-ion versions used in EVs. These batteries not only contain hazardous materials, but also have a tendency to explode if disassembled incorrectly.

In an article featured on the BBC, it is estimated that only about 5% of lithium-ion batteries are recycled, although in some parts of the world it is thought to be considerably less.

With operations throughout Europe and the US, Ecobat has vast knowledge of recycling lithium batteries...