Old EV batteries repurposed to build new electric vehicles

Toyota and Mazda partner up

Toyota and Mazda are working together in Japan to test a new system for reusing old electric vehicle batteries. This collaboration uses Toyota’s Sweep Energy Storage System at Mazda’s car factory in Hiroshima. The goal is to give aging car batteries a new purpose, where old parts can help create new cars and manage energy.

This system is integrated with Mazda’s rooftop solar array, which has a capacity of approximately 1.1 MW and produces around 1,500 MWh per year. Toyota notes the tests involve Mazda’s headquarters campus power system, the only power-generation system operated by an automaker in Japan.

What is the Sweep system

The Sweep system is an ingenious way to reuse many different batteries simultaneously. It can take old batteries from hybrids and fully electric cars, even ones with different chemistries. The system can handle batteries that have lost some of their power or are from different types of vehicles.

The name “sweep” comes from the software’s ability to quickly switch each battery’s power flow on and off. This happens in microseconds, which is a tiny fraction of a second. This clever technology lets the system control the total energy output from all the batteries.

A versatile battery system

The Sweep system’s primary goal is to be versatile and compatible with various types of batteries. It can use units from new all-electric cars or an older Toyota Prius hybrid. The system has also been demonstrated to work with various battery chemistries, including lithium-ion, nickel-metal-hydride, and some lead-acid units, which can be utilized for a car’s ancillary power.

The system is designed to integrate with existing site PCS/inverters, eliminating the need for a single oversized, centralized inverter. Inverters change DC power to AC power. By reusing them, Toyota avoids building a new, large inverter for the entire system, which helps save money and reduce waste.

First successful deployment

Toyota has already proven the Sweep system can work on a large scale. In 2022, they built a system for the Japanese energy company, Jera. This system was connected to a power grid and could store over 1,260 kilowatt-hours of energy.

In perspective, a long-range Tesla Model Y battery stores 75 kilowatt-hours. The average American home uses approximately 900 kilowatt-hours of electricity in a month. This first system demonstrated that utilizing old batteries for power storage is not just a dream, but a viable reality.

Reusing batteries saves resources

Giving old batteries a “second life” is a brilliant idea because it keeps valuable materials from being wasted. Recycling old batteries can be a dirty and expensive process, despite recovering precious metals. By reusing the batteries first, we can extend their lifespan before they need to be recycled.

A battery might lose half its power and become unsuitable for a car, but it can still store a significant amount of energy. This stored energy is helpful for things that don’t require a lot of power all at once, such as powering a factory or a home.

Redwood Materials partnership

Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) and Redwood Materials have a partnership to recycle batteries from Toyota’s electrified vehicles. This agreement helps create a way for old batteries to be recycled in the United States. The collaboration began in 2022, enabling both companies to work towards achieving a circular economy.

The primary goal is to establish a “closed-loop” system that utilizes materials from old batteries to manufacture new ones. Redwood Materials will supply materials for Toyota’s new battery factory in North Carolina, featuring a minimum of 20% recycled lithium and nickel, as well as 50% recycled cobalt.

Toyota’s Yellowstone project

Toyota has been a leader in reusing batteries for many years. In Yellowstone National Park, more than 200 old hybrid batteries from Toyota Camry cars are used to store energy. They are part of a project that holds electricity from the park’s solar panels.

This project demonstrates how a battery that’s not strong enough for a car can still be beneficial for other applications. These stationary storage units enable the park to utilize clean energy from the sun and reduce its reliance on other types of power.

Smart green batteries

In Japan, Toyota dealers have started using Smart Green Batteries. These are groups of ten old Prius car batteries used as a stationary storage. They store electricity made by solar panels at the dealerships themselves.

This stored energy is then used during times when electricity is most expensive. This helps the dealers save on energy costs. These batteries can also serve as a source of emergency power during disasters.

Early recycling efforts

Toyota has a long history of recycling materials. Since 1998, the company has collected around 30,000 used nickel-metal-hydride batteries from hybrid cars in Japan. This accounted for approximately 80% of all end-of-life hybrid vehicles at the time, a high rate attributed to corporate efforts and Japan’s stringent recycling laws.

Initially, these batteries could only be recycled for materials such as stainless steel. However, Toyota collaborated with Sumitomo Metal Industries to develop more efficient methods for extracting materials from the batteries.

Battery-to-battery recycling

In 2010, Toyota and Sumitomo Metal Industries became the first companies in the world to start a business that recycles nickel from old batteries to produce new ones. This was a huge step forward in recycling. It showed that creating a complete loop for some materials was possible.

This was a significant achievement because it meant that the nickel from old batteries could be used directly in making brand-new batteries. This helped make the process more efficient and environmentally sustainable.

Stationary battery systems

In 2012, Toyota created a new technology to combine old nickel-metal-hydride batteries into stationary rechargeable systems. Then, in 2013, they started selling these systems to their dealers.

This was another world-first achievement for the company. These systems enabled Toyota to extend the life of batteries that were no longer suitable for cars. This helped reduce waste and gave the company a new product to sell.

More advanced recycling

Beyond just batteries, Toyota has also developed new methods for recycling other materials from its cars. In 2010, they launched a recycling system for tungsten. They also pioneered a process in 2012 to recover valuable rare-earth metals from the magnets in their electric motors.

This process, known as “magnet-to-magnet recycling,” recovers valuable materials and reduces the need to mine new ones. This was a significant step in the industry, as it was the first time an automaker had industrialized the process.

Toyota’s 99% recycling rate

Toyota has focused on a circular economy for many years. The company’s goal is to recycle and reuse as much as possible. As far back as 2011, Toyota achieved a 99% vehicle recycling rate.

This means that almost all car parts, from the metal to the plastic, are being recycled or reused. This focus on “reduce, reuse, and recycle” has been a core part of the company’s business for many years.

Toyota’s broader sustainability goals

Toyota’s efforts to reuse and recycle are part of a broader environmental strategy. The company aims to achieve carbon neutrality for its global operations by 2035 and its vehicles by 2050.

This means they want to have a net-zero impact on the environment. Reusing batteries is just one part of this big picture, which also includes making cars with less waste and using cleaner energy in their factories.

Future outlook

The “second life” for EV batteries is a big and growing market. Industry forecasts suggest that the supply of second-life batteries for applications such as energy storage could exceed 200 gigawatt-hours by 2030.

This demonstrates that the work Toyota is currently undertaking is crucial for the future. This projection is a forecast based on the increasing number of EVs reaching the end of their first life cycle. Companies are also working on designing new batteries that are easier to reuse or recycle in the future.

Planning to use the fast lane with your EV this fall? Read more in California EV carpool lane access ends October 1, 2025.

Competition and collaboration

Cooperation between rival companies is nothing new in the car world. For example, Toyota and Subaru have partnered to develop sports cars and electric vehicles that share a common platform. Honda has also used GM’s Ultium platform for its Prologue EV.

These partnerships demonstrate that companies are willing to collaborate on technology, particularly in new and expensive areas such as electric cars. This trend of collaboration can help accelerate the development of a better, more sustainable future for the automotive industry.

Curious how Rivian’s tech will shape Audi’s future cars? Dive into Rivian software to power Audi’s EV lineup starting 2028.

Share your thoughts in the comments on this reuse of old EV batteries.

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.