China standardises battery recycling for used batteries from EVs

Beijing will introduce new standards for the recycling of electric vehicle batteries on April 1. At the core of the initiative is the establishment of a national information platform to track batteries from alternatively powered vehicles throughout their entire lifecycle.

Catl tectrans batterie battery e busse electric buses — Image: CATL

Chinese media reports that the national Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) will establish a platform to track the lifecycle of batteries—from production and sales to repair, decommissioning, dismantling, and recycling. The platform will be underpinned by new standards, which are set to take effect on 1 April for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). These “strict regulations” aim to better control the growing volume of used batteries.

According to Car News China, current recycling efforts are hampered by inadequate infrastructure, fire risks, and the high cost of dismantling. In 2023, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation and the MIIT formed a committee to standardise battery recycling. The result is a set of new regulations, which will come into force on 1 April, imposing additional requirements on manufacturers. Simultaneously, new recycling technologies are to be promoted, and recycling considerations are to be integrated into battery development from the outset.

The portal Autohome, citing Chinese research institutions, reports that the volume of decommissioned batteries from electric vehicles is expected to reach around 1 million tonnes by 2030. The largest player in China’s recycling market, which is projected to reach a volume of 558 billion yuan (approximately 69 billion euros) by 2025, is Brunp Recycling, a subsidiary of the CATL group. According to Car News China, Brunp Recycling currently processes over half (50.4%) of all electric vehicle batteries in China.

carnewschina.com, autohome.com.cn (in Chinese)