EV battery lifecycle management: Custom Fleet Q&A with Infinitev
With the rapid rise of electric vehicles (EVs) and the transition of fleets to electric power, a crucial question emerges: What happens to EV batteries once they reach the end of their life in vehicles?
All stages of the production and supply chain need to be scrutinised in order for EVs to truly claim they’re reducing emissions, compared to traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles.
This includes managing battery resources sustainably. Addressing this challenge means finding innovative ways to reuse, repurpose, and recycle batteries, extending their lifecycle and minimising waste.
We (Custom Fleet) spoke to Graeme Cochrane from Infinitev, specialists in battery lifecycle management, to explore how they’re driving a circular battery economy by keeping EV batteries in use as long as possible before recycling.
Graeme Cochrane from Infinitev NZ at the Custom Fleet Sustainability Summit
CF: How does Infinitev ensure manage EV batteries throughout their lifecycle?
GC: Infinitev ensures EV batteries are reused, repurposed, and recycled by implementing a rigorous SafetyCheck and HealthCheck process.
SafetyCheck involves a physical and electrochemical inspection to verify battery safety. HealthCheck, where much of the critical assessment happens, involves a detailed diagnostic that grades battery components.
Components that meet strict performance standards are classified as A Grade and can be reused in vehicles. Those that no longer meet EV demands but retain significant life are graded B and repurposed for second-life applications, such as energy storage for buildings. Batteries that are fully exhausted undergo safe preparation for materials recovery.
CF: What specific R&D advancements are you leveraging to minimise the environmental impact of battery production and disposal?
GC: Our team’s expertise lies in assessing which battery cells meet safety and performance standards.
Given the complexity of battery systems, we reverse-engineer both the hardware—cells, architecture, power relay, high-voltage subassemblies—and the software, including communication protocols like CAN, FD, and FlexRay.
This enables us to safely dismantle battery systems for component reuse. Using a fully automated system, we reassemble these batteries, ensuring they meet stringent safety and performance specifications through complete test automation.
CF: What stages are involved in the battery's lifecycle?
GC: There are three stages or value streams:
- Reuse in vehicles: The primary goal is to repair or remanufacture battery packs for continued use in vehicles—cars, trucks, buses, and boats. This ensures the maximum utility of the battery.
- Repurposing for second life: When batteries can no longer perform at EV standards, they’re repurposed for non-EV applications, such as energy storage systems. This extends the cells' life, spreads their embedded carbon footprint, and reduces the need for new cell production in these secondary applications.
- Recycling and material recovery: Once all potential uses are exhausted, batteries are safely recycled, and valuable materials are recovered to support new battery production, closing the loop for a sustainable battery lifecycle.
CF: How does Infinitev collaborate with the EV supply chain?
GC: Infinitev supports a circular battery economy by simplifying the complex processes required to keep batteries in use and out of landfills.
Many EV manufacturers lack the resources or training to handle advanced EV battery systems. Infinitev bridges this gap by providing expert engineering, equipment, and processes that meet OEM standards.
We also coordinate compliant transportation of hazardous materials and partner with trusted processors for recycling end-of-life batteries. By building and maintaining a robust network, Infinitev serves as an accessible, specialized engineering extension for EV manufacturers in New Zealand and Australia, enabling sustainable, cost-effective solutions without the delays or expense of sourcing brand new batteries.
CF: Can you share success stories where Infinitev has helped extend battery lifecycle?
GC: We’ve been remanufacturing hybrid EV batteries for nearly a decade, helping significantly extend battery lifecycles in a well-established market. In New Zealand, many imported hybrid vehicles are equipped with nickel-metal hydride batteries, which often need replacement soon after arrival. A brand-new battery from the manufacturer can cost up to half the vehicle’s value once labour is included.
Infinitev provides a more affordable alternative—up to 50% cheaper than new batteries—backed by an extended warranty (3 years/200,000km). This difference can determine whether a vehicle such as a Toyota Aqua, is scrapped or stays on the road for an additional five years.
A lifecycle assessment by the University of Melbourne confirmed that Infinitev’s remanufactured batteries reduce the CO2e footprint by over 90% compared to new battery production.
CF: What role do EVs and battery storage play in helping countries meet their climate targets?
GC: EVs and battery storage are crucial elements in helping countries achieve their climate goals, but they’re not a complete solution on their own.
Electrifying vehicles is a significant step forward. But it’s equally important to manage EV batteries effectively once they reach the end of their initial use.
Battery repair and reuse should be considered from the design stage. If batteries aren’t designed to be serviceable, repairing them can be costly or compromise performance, leading to unnecessary waste.
Some automakers are now incorporating circularity into battery and vehicle design, ensuring components can be easily serviced, repurposed, or recycled.
This holistic approach not only aligns with climate targets by minimising waste and resource use but also reduces costs over the battery’s lifecycle, making the transition to sustainable mobility more effective and economically viable.
This Q&A was re-published with permission from Custom Fleet. To learn more about Custom Fleet, visit their website.
