Axil Integrated Services has today announced a development in its established five-year partnership with Ecobat, which will see the two companies working together to drive sustainability in advanced batteries – alongside existing, traditional battery recycling services.
In the current linear economy described by The Ellen MacArthur Foundation as a ‘take-make-waste’ system, resources are often assumed to be limitless and extracted to make products that are used only once and thrown away. Traditionally, EV batteries are sent for shredding after their first application, ignoring the savings, efficiencies and circularity which can be gained by putting them into a different, second-life application.
Under this developed partnership, Axil and Ecobat will aim to bring used EV batteries up the waste hierarchy via diagnostics, repair, recertification and reuse, eventually extending the life of batteries and keeping them in service for longer. This will mean batteries are considered for repurposing through second-life applications before they are eventually recycled. This will prevent waste, reduce energy consumption, and lower demand on finite raw materials such as lithium and cobalt, helping to build longer term resilience in the supply chain.
Lithium and cobalt are particularly rare precious metals, and according to the International Energy Agency, could be subject to a global shortage as early as 2025, meaning their supply and prices can be subject to increasing volatility.
Axil’s Head of Sustainability and Zero Waste, Gina Rudkin said:
“In the two years between 2019 and 2021, electric car sales increased from around 2.5% to 9% of global car sales with the trend expected to continue. Adopting circular business models offers business the opportunity to build greater supply resilience and cost control whilst also building brand loyalty amongst customers based around strong environmental and social ethics. Forward thinking now to identify where end of first life batteries or components can cycle back to the original owner or facilitate the development of secondary markets and uses is key to sustainability.
“Axil works with leading car manufacturers, and this partnership with Ecobat means that we remain ahead of the curve, providing our clients with flexible, innovative and sustainable options for batteries and components once they are no longer required.”
Tom Seward, EU Key Accounts Director at Ecobat Solutions, said:
“We are proud to develop our partnership with Axil Integrated Services. Together, we bring expertise and innovation to the vital industry of battery recycling and reuse, ensuring the responsible and sustainable management of finite natural resources”.
“Ecobat and Axil are leading the way to a circular economy, where batteries are not simply disposed of, but rather recovered, regenerated, and reintegrated into the production cycle. This partnership is a testament to our shared commitment to environmental stewardship and a significant step towards a cleaner and more sustainable UK manufacturing system”.
