Modular, recyclable and able to promote ultra-rapid recharging. This is the electric vehicle battery developed by the Marbel project, supported by the European Union and aimed at creating an innovative, sustainable and high-performance battery. The initiative is based on the desire to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the battery components in order to make repairs easier and more effective, as well as recycle and reuse them for other applications.

This last objective is possible thanks to the 60% recycled aluminium contained within the battery packs. A forward-looking choice that saves up to 777 kg of carbon dioxide emissions for each pack. Another important element is that the battery packs are modular to extend the life of the battery and the functioning of its components. The cells are designed to recover materials such as graphite, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium. As for the charging speed, the experimental battery relies on an innovative cooling system design that guarantees uniform heat removal from the cells, combined with optimisation algorithms for the charging process. By combining this element with the flexibility of the battery architecture, it is possible to switch seamlessly from 400 to 800 volts.

Lower costs and greater benefits

The project has also developed a battery management system that uses busbars for the power connections, which can be easily assembled and disassembled with standard screws, thus simplifying the assembly process while making them resistant. This and other technological improvements have made it possible to reduce the wiring from over 20 metres to just 80 centimetres for a 16-cell battery pack. In a cause-and-effect system, this reduction means lower material costs but also lower assembly weight, thus improving overall efficiency. The project is coordinated by the Catalan technology centre Eurecat. However, the initiative involves 16 partners from 8 different countries, with six universities and research centres, one OEM such as Stellantis and five component manufacturers.

‘The focus on circularity creates a path towards more sustainable electric vehicle technology. At the same time, by optimising battery performance, we are addressing limited range and long charging times, enabling longer journeys, and solving the main obstacles that prevent the acceptance and adoption of electric vehicles,’ said Eduard Piqueras, coordinator of the Marbel project and head of the European programme at Eurecat. On the same wavelength is Violeta Vargas, a researcher in Eurecat’s Waste, Energy and Environmental Impact unit, who lists the advantages of recycling: ‘By integrating eco-design principles such as modularity, second-life applications and materials with a high percentage of recycled content, Marbel extends the use of batteries while maintaining the value of the materials, effectively reducing waste and promoting sustainability and profitability’.

Northvolt’s flop

One European project is about to be launched, but another has disappointed expectations. And it’s not a minor flop because Northvolt represented Europe’s response to the dominance of China and the USA in the production of lithium batteries for electric cars. A dream that has betrayed expectations because the Swedish company, founded in 2015 by two former Tesla executives, went bankrupt too soon. After running out of funds, the company filed for bankruptcy in the USA last November. This means that around 3,000 employees working in the factories in the Swedish towns of Västerås and Skellefteå will lose their jobs, while a liquidator will have to find solutions to pay off creditors who together are claiming more than 5 billion euros.

The bankruptcy of a company that is considered strategic is a problem looking ahead with the increased use of electric cars. It is estimated that by 2030, 11 million rechargeable lithium batteries will be produced, obviously much larger and more complex than those used in smartphones. They have a life cycle of between 8 and 15 years, or 150,000 to 300,000 kilometres, depending on environmental conditions and how they are used. The positive side is that these batteries have a second life because when they drop below 70-80% of their original capacity, they are no longer suitable for use in cars, but they are still good as static energy accumulators. The battery is simply reconfigured to be used in other fields, such as photovoltaic systems or residential buildings, where it can be used for several years.

Production and disposal, two tracks running at different speeds

Even the disposal of used batteries follows a precise process using two different methods. With pyrometallurgy, the batteries are burned at high temperatures in special ovens; in this way, the organic and plastic components are eliminated, while the recoverable metals are melted down. It’s a widespread technique, but it consumes a lot of energy and favours the most valuable materials. Hydrometallurgy has less of an impact on energy levels and relies on solvents and acids to dissolve the metals present in the batteries. The good thing about it is that it can recover large quantities of lithium, but it requires complex systems, and for this reason, it’s even less widespread than pyrometallurgy.

In the electric battery production and disposal system, there is currently a sore point regarding the lack of useful solutions for disposal, the development of which has been much slower than the evolution of production (only 5% of end-of-life batteries go through the two techniques mentioned above). For this reason, while waiting to fill the gap, there are many electric batteries destined to end up in landfills. Contributing to the already enormous amount of e-waste.