In the coming years, the number of lithium-ion batteries available in the global market will multiply leaps and bounds as electric mobility is gaining traction which raises a pertinent question of battery waste disposal. In a waste stream, lithium-ion batteries are very harmful and can have significant environmental consequences.
After the battery’s lifespan, battery waste is left out comprising enormous amounts of chemicals such as cobalt, electrolytes, lithium, manganese oxide and nickel. India, at present, is woefully underprepared for the sheer volume of EV battery waste expected in the coming decade. Most of our e-waste is dumped in landfills. These batteries constitute substances if not recycled or treated properly, then they can cause harm to both the environment and humans.
To reduce the Volume of EV battery waste and make the environment clean & Green leading EV mobility solution provider, eBikeGo started a drive to recycle the Lithium batteries of their electric vehicles. These recycled batteries are in the beginning or middle of their lifecycle. EV batteries are taken out of the vehicle when their capacity reduces by about 25%. So if a 1000 wh battery starts storing only 750 wh, then it is taken out of EV. That time it can be used in solar plants and other works.
Under this drive, every type of battery can be recycled including Lead-acid and all types of Li-ion. eBikeGo is building an elaborate infrastructure to recycle these batteries. The typical recycling process for Li-ion batteries will get Lithium out of old batteries. It can take out more than 99% of Lithium used. Then a new battery will have to be made from it. eBikeGo wants to tie up with solar plant manufacturers to enable the second life of their battery.
eBikeGo is very careful not to generate e-waste. That’s why they are exploring partnerships with e-waste managing entities. The by-products of the recycled batteries will depend on the process, the battery chemistry and many other factors. They are enabling the use of these recycled batteries in old laptops and such by installing operating systems such as Linux that can work well with old laptops and still keep using it. As the recycling of Li-Ion batteries increases, it will help to bring down the pricing of the batteries further. This will improve the adoption of EVs and will bring down pollution. Solar plants will play an important role in the second life of the battery, it will bring down the cost of solar energy and increase its availability. Thus helping to reduce pollution further. It will also improve the ROI on the assets of eBikeGo. These battery recycling drives will be done in all Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities where eBikeGo is currently operational. These batteries can be recycled in the plants that will have to be away from the cities.
“We are extremely pleased to work out something environmentally friendly and to recycle our fleet’s batteries in such a way that no e-waste will be generated. In this way, we will not only get the best return on investment in batteries, but also benefit the society at large. It will minimise the need for mining, which is often dangerous for the environment. In FY 2020, high speed electric two-wheeler vehicles (scooters and motorcycles) reported sales of 27,260 units and the numbers will increase in the coming years. Simultaneously, there will be an increase in the number of the disposed batteries. So, this year, our target is to work towards green and clean air and help to reduce pollution substantially” said Dr. Irfan Khan, Founder and CEO of eBikeGo.
ABOUT eBIKEGo
eBikeGo (www.ebikego.in) is India’s leading EV based startup that provides economical and environment-friendly traveling options for everyone. Currently, it is the largest smart electric mobility platform offering an electronic mode of transportation that runs for around 100 km after an electronic charge for about 3 hrs and makes the daily movement zippy with a speed of 55 km/ hr. It is presently active in 7 cities in India and is actively working with all the main last-mile delivery companies. It is aiming to target 2% of the Indian electric two-wheeler market share and project to bring on the road a fleet of 200,000 bikes in about 100 cities across the country. eBikeGo may be a fresh concept, answering the main yet untouched concerns of growing India. The team of Green Collar Tech Enthusiasts aims at striking a balance between the fast-paced competitive lifetime of young Indians and at an equivalent time taking care of the environment. Launched in 2017, eBikeGo, the brainchild of Dr. Irfan Khan also bagged the simplest EV mobility start-up of the year in GTF Startup Summit 2020.
