Life Cycle Assessment of Second Use of End-of-Life Electric Vehicle Lithium-Ion Batteries

This thesis covers a full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the second use of end-of-life (EoL) lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) that come from electric vehicles (EVs). This study was on the second use battery life cycle, and it was conducted in the context of the BATRAW project. The study evaluated the environmental impacts of four key sections of the life cycle, the collection and transport, state-of-health (SoH) diagnostic, disassembly, and repurposing these batteries to become stationary energy storage systems. The cradle to gate ecological assessments were done in a consequential LCA way and they contributed to the functional unit of one kWh of the total energy provided over the service life by the battery system. The research indicates that second life strategies can limit reliance on primary material consumption and prolong the usage time of semiconductors, nevertheless, there are substantial burdens generally across the environment, especially related to human toxicity, climate change, and fossil depletion. These impacts are primarily due to materials used such as printed circuit boards, and are impacted by energy consumption during diagnostics and integration . The sensitivity and uncertainty analyses offered in the study highlight significant environmental hotspots and indicate possible areas for improvement. Moreover, the research highlights the role of digital battery passports (DBPs) for traceability, improving SoH assessments, and to assist with circular economy practices. The results furnish actionable guidance for policymakers and industry actors who are looking to advance the sustainability of electric vehicle battery management systems in the EU.