The manufacturing floor at a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle battery factory in Woodstock, Alabama. Reuters
The manufacturing floor at a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle battery factory in Woodstock, Alabama. Reuters
The manufacturing floor at a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle battery factory in Woodstock, Alabama. Reuters
The manufacturing floor at a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle battery factory in Woodstock, Alabama. Reuters

Why a second life for EV batteries seems tricky


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Global car makers have touted plans to re-use electric vehicle (EV) batteries when they lose power, but competition for battery packs and cell materials, and the appetite for affordable cars cast doubt on this part of the circular economy.

An array of start-ups offers second-life energy storage using old EV batteries.

But creating the viable industry envisioned by car makers such as Nissan would mean fighting off competition from recyclers, refurbishers and the needs of drivers squeezed by the cost-of-living crisis.

“The assumption that EV batteries are only going to last eight-to-10 years and then owners will swap them out is just not true,” Hans Eric Melin, founder of consultancy Circular Energy Storage, which tracks battery volumes and prices, said.

“It's going to be tricky to make second-life work.”

While a possible solution for buses, lorries and other commercial vehicles, it will take longer for batteries from passenger cars to be re-used at scale.

The second-life energy storage idea is in theory simple.

As EV batteries' capacity falls below 80 per cent to 85 per cent after eight-to-10 years of use, the theory goes, they will be repurposed to power buildings or even balance local and national energy grids.

Investors believing in the circular economy, where products and materials are repaired and re-used, have provided around $1 billion in funding to nearly 50 start-ups globally, according to Reuters calculations.

In addition, car makers from Mercedes to Nissan have set up their own second-life operations.

The problem is a lack of old EV batteries that shows no sign of easing.

The rising average age of fossil-fuel cars on the road – now a record 12.5 years in the US according to S&P Global Mobility – suggests many EVs will stay on the road for years to come even if their batteries are depleted.

“The 80 per cent threshold is an arbitrary number that does not reflect the real-life usage of EVs,” CES' Mr Melin said.

As EVs built a decade ago remain in use, Elmar Zimmerling, business development manager for automotive at German second-life battery start-up Fenecon, said there was “as good as no market for second-life batteries” at present, although he predicts a “tsunami” of batteries within the next five years.

Twice the price of new

Competition from outfits using EV batteries to power anything from fossil-fuel classic cars to boats pushed prices to $235 per kilowatt hour in late 2022, according to CES – around double the price major car makers pay for new batteries.

The long-range Tesla Model 3 has a 75KWh battery pack. At that rate, it would cost $17,625 on the used market.

Car and battery-makers increasingly offer energy storage systems using new batteries – from Tesla to the UK's AMTE Power and even Croatian electric sports car maker Rimac.

Although more energy- and therefore, carbon-intensive, recycling also presents another form of competition to re-use as demand for cell materials makes it economically compelling.

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

Demand surge

Demand for used batteries for storage is likely to soar as intermittent renewable energy takes on a bigger role.

By 2030 global battery capacity for grid storage could grow to 680 gigawatt-hours, from 16GWh at the end of 2021, the Paris-based International Energy Agency estimates.

Britain alone pays around £1 billion ($1.27 billion) annually to switch off wind farms when the grid does not need the power – there is no way yet to store it because of the battery shortage. It also often has to buy electricity from Europe when it has a shortfall.

US start-up Smartville has found a solution in buying packs from EVs written off by insurers. Because they cannot assess the extent and cost of even minor damage to EVs batteries, entire cars, often with almost 100 per cent battery capacity, have been scrapped.

Chief executive Antoni Tong estimates more than 1 GWh of salvaged batteries will hit that US market annually by 2026.

He said the company was trying to negotiate directly with insurers because refurbishers and overseas buyers often outbid it at salvage auctions for Tesla batteries.

Disappearing into the wild

The biggest issue is people keeping their vehicles longer. Jonathan Rivera, a resident of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, illustrates the challenge.

Last September, he became the third owner of a used 2011 Nissan Leaf he bought for $3,750.

After 12 years' use, the electric car's driving range had fallen to 40 miles (64km) from 120 miles.

That was no problem for Rivera, who used it to commute 18 miles to work, forgoing the heater in the winter because it drained the battery.

He has just sold the car for $3,000 to pay down credit card debt, but wants another used EV.

“That car handled 90 per cent of my driving needs,” Mr Rivera said. “If treated right, it should last another five, six years.”

Even when their owners part with them, many cars simply disappear – in the UK, for instance, the figure is around 20 per cent – and are often sold overseas.

“A Nissan Leaf that's been in the wild for 10 years – there's very limited visibility into where even is that battery?” said Asad Hussain, a partner at Mobility Impact Partners, a private equity firm focused on transportation. “How do you get it back?”

Commercial vehicles provide the best hope thus far for second-life batteries, industry officials said.

London-based start-up Zenobe, for instance, teams up with bus companies wanting to go electric. They buy the buses, but Zenobe buys and manages the battery, then takes it for second-life energy storage.

Since 2017, Zenobe has raised around $1.2 billion in debt and equity funding. It owns 435 megawatt-hours of batteries in around 1,000 electric buses in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, which should grow to 3,000 buses by 2025.

Founder director Steven Meersman said once Britain's 40,000 buses all go electric, they will have 16 gigawatt-hours of batteries on board – about one third of Britain's peak demand in 2022.

“That's a gigafactory on wheels waiting to happen,” he said.

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

if you go

The flights

Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes. 

The hotels

Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes. 

When to visit

March-May and September-November

Visas

Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.

LA LIGA FIXTURES

Friday (UAE kick-off times)

Real Sociedad v Leganes (midnight)

Saturday

Alaves v Real Valladolid (4pm)

Valencia v Granada (7pm)

Eibar v Real Madrid (9.30pm)

Barcelona v Celta Vigo (midnight)

Sunday

Real Mallorca v Villarreal (3pm)

Athletic Bilbao v Levante (5pm)

Atletico Madrid v Espanyol (7pm)

Getafe v Osasuna (9.30pm)

Real Betis v Sevilla (midnight)

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The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
 
  • Grade 9 = above an A*
  • Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
  • Grade 7 = grade A
  • Grade 6 = just above a grade B
  • Grade 5 = between grades B and C
  • Grade 4 = grade C
  • Grade 3 = between grades D and E
  • Grade 2 = between grades E and F
  • Grade 1 = between grades F and G
The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

UAE jiu-jitsu squad

Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)

Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Gully Boy

Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi​​​​​​​
Rating: 4/5 stars

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Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

Disclaimer

Director: Alfonso Cuaron 

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville 

Rating: 4/5

The specs: 2018 Kia Picanto

Price: From Dh39,500

Engine: 1.2L inline four-cylinder

Transmission: Four-speed auto

Power: 86hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque: 122Nm @ 4,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.0L / 100km

Indika
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The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Company%20profile
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Updated: June 27, 2023, 5:00 AM`