VOA科学技术2023--Companies Seek to Profit from Old EV Batteries

Companies Seek to Profit from Old EV Batteries

A number of companies have been established to provide a second life for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. But industry experts say such businesses could face major difficulties, even as the EV market continues to grow.

Reuters news agency reports nearly 50 startup companies have been launched with the aim of buying used EV batteries and reselling them to be used for new purposes. In addition, large carmakers, such as Mercedes and Nissan, have set up their own operations to give EV batteries a second life.

The companies' founders¹ believe they can find new purposes for used EV batteries from vehicles. The businesses will seek batteries that have been in use for eight to 10 years. The capacity of EV batteries generally falls below 80 to 85 percent during those years. Then, the companies will repurpose the batteries and sell them.

But experts say there is currently a shortage of old EV batteries and this situation is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. One reason for this is that many people are keeping their vehicles for a longer time.

Financial research company S&P Global Mobility² notes that EV vehicle owners in the United States are keeping their cars a record 12.5 years. This suggests to experts that many EVs will also stay on the road for years to come even if their batteries are working below capacity.

Hans Eric Melin is the creator of advisory³ company Circular Energy Storage, which follows battery sales and prices. He told Reuters the idea "that EV batteries are only going to last eight-to-10 years and then owners would swap⁴ them out is just not true." Melin added, "It's going to be tricky⁵ to make second-life work."

Elmar Zimmerling is the business development manager for automotive at German second-life battery startup Fenecon. He told Reuters that since many EVs built 10 years ago remain in use, there is currently "no market for second-life batteries." But he predicted a flood of used batteries within the next five years.

Another issue is that competition from companies using EV batteries to power everything from gasoline-powered vehicles to boats have driven prices up for used batteries. Circular Energy Storage estimates this pushed prices to $235 per kilowatt⁶ hour in late 2022. This is about double the price major carmakers pay for new batteries.

One example is the long-range Tesla Model 3, which has a 75 kilowatt hour battery. At the estimated rate, the Tesla battery would cost $17,625 on the used market.

Some experts say it could even be more profitable for companies to sell needed battery elements rather than whole batteries.

"The ... question is, if you have pretty valuable raw materials in a battery and you ask 'how can I get the most out of it?'" said Thomas Becker. He is the head of sustainability at German carmaker BMW. The company has a second-life battery storage facility at its Leipzig plant. The answer, Becker said, "is recycling might be better."

Demand for used batteries for storage – for homes, businesses or possibly even power grids⁸ – is likely to rise as renewable energy forms continue to expand.

By 2030, worldwide battery capacity for grid⁷ storage could grow to 680 gigawatt-hours, from 16GWh at the end of 2021, an estimate by the Paris-based International Energy Agency shows.

Britain alone pays around $1.27 billion yearly to turn off wind farms when the grid does not need the power. There is no way yet to store the power because of the battery shortage. Britain also often has to buy electricity from Europe when it cannot produce enough on its own.

Words in This Story

battery – n. a device placed inside a machine to supply it with electricity

capacity – n. the largest amount or number that a container, building, etc. can hold

swap – v. to change one thing for something else

grid – n. a network of conductors for distribution of electrical power

sustainability – n. of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted⁹ or permanently¹⁰ damaged

raw – adj. in a natural state

1 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

2 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

3 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

4 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

5 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

6 kilowatt   

n.千瓦

参考例句：

• They pay thirty fen per kilowatt hour.他们每度电付三角钱。
• The watt is a small unit of power so that we use the kilowatt instead.瓦特是小功率的单位，因此我们用千瓦代之。

7 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

8 grids   

n.格子( grid的名词复数 )；地图上的坐标方格；（输电线路、天然气管道等的）系统网络；（汽车比赛）赛车起跑线

参考例句：

• Typical framed structures are beams, grids, plane and space frames or trusses. 典型构架结构为梁、格栅、平面的和空间的框架或桁架。 来自辞典例句
• The machines deliver trimmed grids for use or stock. 这种机器铸出修整过的板栅，以供使用或储存。 来自辞典例句

9 depleted   

adj. 枯竭的, 废弃的 动词deplete的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Food supplies were severely depleted. 食物供应已严重不足。
• Both teams were severely depleted by injuries. 两个队都因队员受伤而实力大减。

10 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。