Researchers from TU Delft have published an important study on how electric vehicle (EV) batteries should be recycled at the end of their life. The study highlights the potential risks of the EU’s battery regulations emphasizing recycling over repurposing.
Research by TU Delft scientist Merla Kubli and PhD candidate Juliane Seika reveals that Europe is facing a double challenge. On the one hand, used EV batteries continue to accumulate, while on the other hand, raw materials for new batteries are running out.
The research warns that the EU’s battery regulation mandates a minimum proportion of recycled materials in new EV batteries, but this policy may inadvertently ignore another promising solution: reuse.
Reuse First
Recycling disassembles batteries to recover valuable materials such as lithium and cobalt, while reuse gives them a second life. “Even at the end of their automotive life, EV batteries retain 70 percent of their original capacity. This is enough to power solar storage systems or backup grids for another decade. It would be a waste not to give them a second life,” he explains.
A two-cycle system – first reuse, then recycling – can maximize both environmental and economic benefits. But the EU regulation’s strong focus on recycling could shift the balance towards a single-cycle system where batteries are recycled immediately, skipping their second life.
Simulation Results
Using a system dynamics model, the researchers simulated long-term market trends under the EU’s battery regulation. The results were striking:
Recycling capacities are increasing but are still far from meeting future demand. Reuse shares are declining as mandatory recycling quotas drive batteries away from second-life applications. Investors need to act now to expand recycling infrastructure and support reuse initiatives.
“If we don’t balance both strategies, we risk losing the full potential of the circular battery economy,” Kubli warns.
Towards a More Balanced Framework
The study calls on policymakers to design a more balanced framework that supports both recycling and reuse. It also calls on investors and business leaders to recognize the long-term profitability of second-life battery applications.
The research was conducted within the CircuBAT project. CircuBAT is a comprehensive European research project investigating the environmental benefits and business model sustainability of recycling or reusing batteries.
