By 2040, over 1 billion tons of EoL batteries will require recycling

As electric vehicle (EV) adoption surges, managing end-of-life (EoL) lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries is a growing challenge. By 2040, over 1 billion tons of EoL batteries will require recycling, making sustainability, cost efficiency, and regulatory compliance key concerns for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

The EU Battery Regulation’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) already impacts OEMs, requiring them to allocate financial reserves for future EV battery recycling costs. Early preparation is crucial to minimize risks and optimize returns.

By integrating data-driven decision-making, OEMs can turn compliance into a multi-billion Euro business opportunity while ensuring sustainable EV battery lifecycle management.

CycleBat serves as a robust tool for assessing the complexities

To quantify the immediate and long-term financial and environmental impacts of design-for-circularity approaches on end-of-life (EoL) batteries, this study employs FEV’s CycleBat suite of forecasting and cost models. Developed through the amalgamation of insights from multiple projects across the entire battery value chain, CycleBat serves as a robust tool for assessing the complexities involved in battery design, usage, and disposal. CycleBat comprises two core components: the CycleBat Market and the CycleBat ValueChain, each addressing different aspects of the EoL battery scenario.

One of the critical objectives of this research is to elucidate the methodologies for calculating the projected EoL battery disposal cost and to illustrate the difference between an oversimplified approach and a more nuanced one enabled by FEV CycleBat.