Recycling EV Batteries

Why used EV batteries are a growing waste problem and a valuable source of lithium, cobalt and nickel, and how India's battery waste rules work.

EV batteries eventually wear out. What happens next matters.

Second life

Batteries that can no longer power vehicles well may still store energy for homes or solar systems.

Recycling

Recycling recovers lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper, reducing the need for mining and imports.

India’s rules

The Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 use extended producer responsibility (EPR): makers and importers must ensure a share of batteries are collected and recycled.

Industry

Indian firms like Attero and Lohum are building recycling capacity.

Challenges

Informal recyclers may handle batteries unsafely.
Collection is hard when batteries are scattered.
Economics depend on metal prices.

Strategic value

With limited domestic reserves, recycling could become an important source of critical minerals for India.

The second-life battery

A used scooter battery with 70 percent capacity left powers a shop's lights during power cuts, before finally being recycled for its metals.

Thinking dead batteries are just waste

They contain valuable metals and can have second lives.

Key takeaways

Used EV batteries can get second lives.
Recycling recovers valuable metals.
The 2022 rules use extended producer responsibility.
Recycling can supply critical minerals.