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At Nav Prakriti, we understand the growing concern around what happens to electric vehicle (EV) batteries after they can no longer power a car. The good news is that even after reaching “end-of-life” for driving, an EV battery still holds value—and doesn’t go straight to waste.
Once an EV battery’s performance drops below about 70–80% of its original capacity, it’s considered no longer suitable for vehicle use. But instead of being thrown away, it often enters a second life.
In many cases, these batteries are repurposed for energy storage systems—like powering homes, commercial buildings, or storing solar energy. This is called second-life usage, and it can extend the battery’s utility for several more years.
If the battery is too degraded for second-life applications, it moves to recycling. Here, the battery is safely discharged, dismantled, and processed to recover valuable materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, and aluminum. These materials can then be reused to make new batteries, reducing the need for fresh mining.
However, this process isn’t simple. EV batteries are large, complex, and require specialized recycling facilities to handle them safely and efficiently. That’s why battery recycling infrastructure is still developing, especially in countries like India.
At Nav Prakriti, we believe that with the right awareness, technology, and policies, EV batteries can become part of a circular and sustainable energy future—not just another form of waste.
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