This is What Actually Happens To Old Electric Car Batteries

The host of YouTube car show Engineering Explained, Jason Fenske, brings us yet another wonderful video answering a question all eco-friendly electric vehicle lovers have probably asked themselves. What happens to worn out electric car batteries?

This is an important question as the global stockpile of EV batteries is expected to exceed the equivalent of about 3.4 million packs by 2025, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Batteries can cause serious environmental waste and, if damaged, can emit toxic gases.

In this session, Fenske looks at both road and race cars and gives us the best case scenarios (reusing the batteries) as well as additional alternative options. He also shares some key exciting examples of current repurposing EV battery projects.

But what if the battery can no longer provide a useful charge? The YouTuber tackles that question as well.

From powering street lights to acting as storage devices in homes, these batteries have many options for new lives after their vehicle journeys are over. This is good news as ever increasing EV adoption will surely see many such discarded batteries.

Luckily, Fenske says that as EV numbers rise, EV battery reusing and recycling options will also continue to increase and diversify. The future, it seems, is EV battery friendly!