Second-hand clothes shops have been all the rage in the hip areas of London, Paris and Berlin for a while now. They provide a chance to give a second life to clothes that have been hanging in wardrobes gathering dust. It’s the same motivation that drove the start-up betteries, in partnership with Mobilize, to reuse the batteries from electric cars, of which there are more and more on the roads, after their lives in the vehicles are up.
The quantity of lithium-ion batteries being made has grown by 80 times since the year 2000 and, over this period, 66% of them were used to power electric cars. The International Energy Agency predicts that this number will be 17 times higher by 2030. It is therefore vital to recycle these batteries the best we can, but, above all, to prolong their useful lives in order to reduce their carbon footprint.
For Mobilize, recycling a battery is the final stage in a cycle which aims first to maximise its lifespan. The charging capacity of the battery is optimal throughout the period of possession of the vehicle. If there are any problems, the Renault warranty provides for it to be repaired. But, even if it cannot be restored to the right conditions to play its crucial role in the propulsion of the electric vehicle, the battery doesn’t end up in the bin… or, more accurately, the recycling!
Because it still has a charging capacity more than sufficient for other uses that are less demanding than vehicles. Betteries, along with Mobilize, which is using the expertise gained through its projects to help the start-up, is thinking up more and more applications to give these high-tech objects a second life. It would be a shame to have to make new batteries for alternative uses while simultaneously destroying batteries that still work well… The two partners are providing an opportunity for batteries from electric vehicles to be reused, making their lifespans up to twice as long.