No, though we need clear policies to guide our handling of batteries once they reach the end of their life in a vehicle. The energy stored in EV batteries is far too valuable to be discarded. At the end of their useful life as traction batteries (that’s a fancy term for batteries that move vehicles), EV batteries still have lots of life left in them–almost 80% of their original capacity.
EV batteries on their “second life” can store electricity in homes and businesses or be combined in battery banks to store electricity for utilities. They can support renewable electricity generation and store solar and wind energy for when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. They can also provide energy arbitrage, which means they can store electricity when it is cheap and make it available for use when electricity is expensive. This can reduce the cost of electricity for a utility or a customer. These batteries can also be used for grid or home resilience during power outages and storms.
