Partners: CEA, Denios, EIT Urban Mobility Foundation, Eurecat, Frontier Innovations, Renault, Skoda, Łukasiewicz – Poznań Institute of Technology, TES, batteries
Date: 2023 – ongoing
Location(s): Europe-wide
Working with 11 partners, including automotive industry giants like Skoda and Renault, our Battery team initiated and guided the BatteReverse initiative – aiming to transform the landscape of Li-ion battery reverse logistics in Europe. Through stakeholder mapping, analysing circular business models, and establishing the largest battery circularity community in Europe, we have enabled the project to aptly tackle the pressing need for efficient, safe, and sustainable handling of end-of-life batteries.
Europe faces a monumental challenge in managing the burgeoning volume of Li-ion batteries, particularly from electric vehicles. Conventional methods for battery reverse logistics are inadequate, leading to slow assessment processes, costly transportation packaging, labour-intensive dismantling, and limited data sharing among stakeholders. The absence of standardised practices exacerbates safety risks and impedes the repurposing potential of these valuable resources.
Approach
Our Battery team initiated the BatteReverse project with 11 key partners, securing €4.9 million in funding from Horizon Europe to support our mission to develop innovative processes and technologies. These include fast battery assessment techniques, integrated safety packaging for transportation, automated dismantling methods, and a comprehensive Battery Data Space for streamlined information exchange among stakeholders. At Bax, we established the largest battery circularity community in Europe, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange among over 260 expert members. Through extensive analysis of over 20 circular business models and stakeholder mapping, we laid the groundwork for the digital twin of the battery reverse logistics chain. Additionally, our innovative workshop, the Battery Circularity Game, empowered our partners to exploit their innovations effectively.
Impact
The impact of BatteReverse is poised to be transformative. By reducing battery assessment time by 80% and battery sorting and dismantling time by 50%, we are revolutionising efficiency in the reverse logistics process. The project also aims to prevent over 30 severe accidents annually associated with Li-ion battery handling. The introduction of novel circular business models is projected to add over €30 million in value to Europe’s economy each year.
Managing EV batteries at their end of life is one of the key waste challenges in the EU in the years ahead. We’ve teamed up with top research institutes and industrial partners to explore how to transform this challenge into opportunities by investigating novel technologies and circular business models. I’m proud to see that our efforts are paying off – the BatteReverse project is emerging as a lighthouse for the battery and EV industry, with over 200 community members sharing best practices and initiating collaborations for a more circular value chain.
– Maarten Buysse, Innovation Consultant
With Bax, we conducted the collaborative writing of the BatteReverse proposal under the Horizon Europe programme. It proved to be a highly successful collaboration, led by Bax, who demonstrated a high level of professionalism. This was evident in their dedication to supporting the technical teams, maintaining timeliness, ensuring input quality, and creating a positive atmosphere among participants. The outcome was a strong project proposal, with a high potential to secure funding. We look forward to another partnership in the future.
– Martyna Zielińska, Senior Logistics Development Specialist at Łukasiewicz – Poznań Institute of Technology
