Maximizing Value: Residual Heat Utilization of Retired Power Batteries

Residual Heat Utilization of Retired Power Batteries is increasingly recognized as a crucial dimension in the veículo elétrico (EV) circular economy. As batteries retire from vehicles, they often retain remaining capacity and embodied energy.

1. Understanding the Concept of Residual Heat in Retired Batteries

1.1 What does “residual heat utilization” mean?

In this context, “residual heat” is a metaphor: even after a power battery is considered “retired” from its primary role in an EV, it still retains usable energy, materials, and performance that can be repurposed. That potential can manifest in:

Cascade / second-life applications: When a battery’s capacity declines (e.g. to 50–80 % of original), it may no longer reliably power a car, but still serve lower-demand roles (e.g. stationary energy storage, off-grid power, agricultural vehicles, street lighting).

Material recovery and recycling: Once battery cells degrade further (e.g. below ~40 %), they can be disassembled and processed to recover lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and other metals for reuse in new battery production.

Thus, residual heat utilization encompasses both secondary use and full recycling — bridging energy reuse and material circularity.

1.2 Scale and urgency

According to the CCTV article, in 2025 China’s retired battery volume is expected to reach around 820,000 tons. By 2028, the number may exceed 4 million tons. Market projections suggest that by 2030, the scale of comprehensive utilization of retired power batteries might surpass 100 billion yuan.

These figures highlight that we are entering a mature stage of battery retirement at scale — making residual heat utilization of retired power batteries not a niche practice, but a systemic necessity.

2. Barriers and Complexity in Implementation

2.1 A fragmented recycling market and weak formal participation

One of the greater challenges is industry disorder. The CCTV piece notes that many retired batteries are sold to small, unlicensed “workshops” lacking proper equipment, safety protocols, or traceability. This causes “informal recycling” to crowd out better-regulated players, and yields low overall recovery rates. As of 2023, the formal standardized recycling rate for power batteries in China is less than 25%.

These small actors may offer immediate high purchase prices, but their disassembly is crude and destructive, often forfeiting value in efficiency and safety.

2.2 Technical diversity and lack of standardization

Power batteries come from many manufacturers, chemistries (NMC, LFP, etc.), packaging formats, and control modules. The lack of uniform standards for battery design, module architecture, labeling, or disassembly interface makes automated or scalable recycling extremely difficult.

For example, a battery pack may contain hundreds of screws, sensors, and connectors. Any automation system must adapt to variant designs — a high technical burden.

2.3 Low yields, high cost, and economic mismatches

Recovering metals and materials is expensive: you must pay for labor, energy, environmental treatment, logistics, and capital equipment. Sometimes the cost of recycling exceeds the market value of recovered materials, especially in times of commodity price slumps.

This economic tension makes many recyclers wary, and the presence of low-cost informal recyclers exacerbates the problem.

2.4 Traceability and regulatory enforcement gaps

Without a robust battery “digital identity” system (e.g. QR codes, blockchain ledger, lifecycle logs), many retired batteries evade proper channels. The CCTV report mentions efforts to assign each battery a “digital ID” so that its production, sale, and dismantling paths are traceable.

Furthermore, regulators must crack down on illegal dismantling and enforce stricter entry into recycling industry. The article mentions recent industry norms (2024 versions) and state-level directives mandating a more structured and safe battery reuse ecosystem.

3. Strategic Directions & Best Practices

3.1 Build full-chain traceability and digital identity systems

To enable residual heat utilization of retired power batteries, it is essential to implement a lifecycle tracing system. Each battery should carry a digital identity (via QR code, RFID, or blockchain), recording its chemistry, performance metrics, ownership, and status. This enables trustworthy sourcing, auditing, and accountability.

Tairui can embed such identifiers in battery packs from the design stage, cooperating with infrastructure providers or third-party platforms.

3.2 Design for disassembly and reuse

Battery design should not only consider road performance, but also end-of-life reuse. Principles include modular packaging, standardized connectors, accessible fasteners, and ease of automated or semi-automated disassembly. This makes both cascade use e material recovery more cost-effective.

Tairui can adopt these design practices in its vehicle and pack development, ensuring that our future vehicles are “recycling-friendly” by default.

3.3 Leverage cascade reuse (second-life) as an intermediate buffer

Instead of immediately recycling every retired battery, prioritize cascade reuse in applications where lower power density suffices.

For example:

Stationary energy storage (home, microgrid, solar hybrid)

Public infrastructure backup (streetlights, telecom stations)

Agricultural machinery or light transport in rural settings

By extending the useful life, you defer the cost of recycling and extract more value from the battery before full recovery.

3.4 Develop smart automation & robotics for disassembly

To manage scale and lower labor cost, recycling operations should invest in robotic disassembly, image-based recognition, adaptive tooling, and AI algorithms. The CCTV piece mentions “intelligent flexible disassembly” systems using robotics to identify battery pack structures and perform automated teardown.

Advances in machine vision, modular fixture systems, and AI planning will be key enablers.

3.5 Support policy, standardization, and enforcement

Governments must standardize design rules, set recycling quotas, establish licensing for recyclers, and penalize noncompliant actors. The 2024 updated battery reuse industry norm conditions reflect stronger technical thresholds.

Industry associations should lead consensus on battery standards, testing protocols, safety rules, and circularity benchmarks.

4. Tairui’s Role and Strategic Integration

4.1 Embedding circular design in vehicle development

As a manufacturer of complete vehicles, specialty vehicles, and auto parts, Tairui is uniquely positioned to prioritize residual heat utilization from Day 1. We can adopt modular pack architectures, accessible service interfaces, and labeling features that facilitate traceability.

4.2 Partnering in recycling ecosystems

Tairui can collaborate with certified recycling enterprises, battery manufacturers, and logistics firms to build a closed loop: retired batteries return, get processed, and recovered materials feed back into new production. This more tightly couples material security with vehicle manufacturing.

4.3 Co-investing in recycling technology and automation

By investing in or co-developing robotic teardown systems, AI disassembly, and direct recycling methods, Tairui can help drive costs down and increase yields. This forward investment positions Tairui as a technological pioneer in circular mobility.

4.4 Branding sustainability and traceability

In export markets especially, consumers, regulators, and investors increasingly value transparency, resource efficiency, and environmental accountability. Tairui can highlight its end-of-life strategies, battery traceability, and circular practices as differentiators.

5. Implications for the Global EV Landscape

5.1 A shift to circular mobility

Se residual heat utilization of retired power batteries becomes mainstream, the EV industry transitions from a “make-use-discard” model toward a circular economy—where reuse, recycling, and resource recovery shape value chains.

5.2 Mitigating raw material dependence

By recovering lithium, cobalt, nickel, and other metals from retired batteries, automakers and nations reduce reliance on upstream mining, commodity swings, and geopolitical risks.

5.3 Raising ecosystem standards

Handling battery retirement responsibly will become a baseline expectation. Brands that cannot ensure clean, traceable, and high-yield recycling will lose competitive legitimacy in many markets.

5.4 Innovation in battery chemistry and design

As residual utilization and recycling become strategic levers, battery chemistries that are more recycling-friendly (higher stability, simpler bonding, modular designs) will see greater adoption. This can drive future battery innovation.

Conclusão

Em resumo, Residual Heat Utilization of Retired Power Batteries is not a fringe concept—it is central to sustainable growth in the EV sector. The dual pathways of cascade reuse and material recovery, supported by traceability, automation, and standardization, will define the competitive edge going forward.

De Tairui perspective, the mission is clear: integrate circular design, invest in recycling ecosystems, partner in innovation, and tell the sustainability story with conviction. In doing so, Tairui can help lead the transformation from waste liability to resource advantage—and help drive a more resilient, eco-conscious electric vehicle industry globally.