Aceleron, the UK developer of sustainable and reusable battery solutions, and Eco Charger, the UK expert in electric all terrain vehicles (ATVs), today unveil a new partnership to demonstrate how bespoke circular-economy batteries can tackle the mounting problem of e-waste.
Transport is the largest emitter of UK carbon emissions. To combat this, the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts sales of up to 44 million electric vehicles (EVs) a year by 2030. This is positive for decarbonisation, but raises a new sustainability issue – waste. Conservative estimates suggest the EV revolution could create more than 11 million tonnes of battery waste worldwide a year in the next 20 years enough to fill Wembley Stadium almost 20 times.*
“By designing batteries for the circular economy from the outset, we can prevent mountains of battery waste from being created worldwide,” said Dr Amrit Chandan, CEO and Co-Founder of Aceleron. “The decarbonisation of transport is critical, but we are currently solving one sustainability issue while ignoring another. Waste is the elephant in the room. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution and companies like Eco Charger are providing a blueprint to follow.”
Aceleron’s unique, long-life batteries, manufactured in the UK, are designed to be repaired, upgraded, reused and recycled, unlike most batteries which are thrown away when one component fails. This will enable Aceleron to repurpose over 90% of Eco Charger’s batteries for a second-life through an innovative ‘buy-back’ scheme.
Aceleon’s batteries also utilise first-of-its-kind intelligent management software, allowing remote performance monitoring to enhance battery life. This allows Aceleron to monitor and replace or upgrade components when they degrade or when improved products are available. Regular servicing can multiply battery lifespan as much as eight times, from three to 25 years.
For Eco Charger, Aceleron has developed a bespoke lithium-ion battery for the company’s electric ATVs. The solution is the same-size as the traditional lead acid batteries, but four-times as powerful and half the weight.
Jon Hourihan, CEO of Eco Charger, said: “By choice or by law all industries will soon have to decarbonise. Aceleron’s batteries demonstrate that tailored engineering can provide low-carbon solutions across all e-mobility scenarios.”
Aceleron’s circular economy technology and second-life schemes can be applied across the whole energy storage spectrum, enabling waste reduction across all applications from stationary storage to e-mobility. The company has ongoing projects across Europe, North America and Africa and is developing future projects in the telecommunications, manufacturing and electronics industries across the globe.
* Supporting data and calculations:
- EVs are ‘almost all’ warranteed for eight years: https://insideevs.com/news/368591/electric-car-battery-lifespan/
- Researchers have calculated that the one million electric cars sold in 2017 alone will produce 250,000 metric tons, or half a million cubic metres, of unprocessed battery pack waste when they reach the end of their lives in seven to ten years’ time.
- 44 million EVs will therefore produce 11 million tonnes and 22 million m3.
- Wembley Stadium is 1,139,100 m3. 22 million / 1,139,100 = 19.3
