Battery testing pilot aims to reduce risk in second-life EV battery procurement

recell.store, the Altilium-backed online marketplace for used EV batteries, has partnered with battery testing and analytics company ClearWatt to introduce independent battery health testing at the point of vehicle recovery.

The partnership will start with a pilot involving salvage yards, dismantlers and other organisations handling end-of-life or damaged EVs. Participants will use ClearWatt’s EV Flash Test before listing batteries on the recell.store marketplace, giving prospective buyers additional condition data before committing to a purchase.

ClearWatt’s EV Flash Test uses an OBD diagnostic device connected to the vehicle to read data from onboard systems, including the battery management system. ClearWatt says the test looks at a wider set of battery-related signals rather than relying on age, mileage or a single state-of-health figure.

This could have a wide reaching impact on the second-life battery market. While there have been many firms partnering with EV manufacturers to source their second-life batteries, that still leaves a large amount of batteries that could potentially head to landfill. After all, without a clear view on what that battery can safely and economically become, many wouldn’t be willing to take on the risk. 

With more data, it’s hoped that we’ll get a better view as to whether batteries can go on to a second life, whether as a repaired pack, a source of replacement modules, a second-life battery energy storage asset, or feedstock for recycling.

Of course, for BESS operators and integrators, the practical question is not simply whether a battery has residual value. It is whether the evidence is strong enough to support design assumptions, warranty positions, safety processes and commercial risk. A low-cost pack can quickly become expensive if its usable capacity, imbalance, history or damage profile is poorly understood.

recell.store Managing Director Simon Reid said the partnership addresses a gap in how batteries are assessed before they enter the secondary market, adding that battery testing gives buyers “greater confidence and transparency” when purchasing an EV battery.

The pilot will need to prove that the testing process works in the messier conditions of salvage and dismantling, where vehicles may be damaged, documentation may be patchy and some packs may not be straightforward to interrogate. If we can resolve that problem, then it could have a huge impact on the market – and even bring down the cost of second-life battery modules.