Good news here: There are impressive options for reusing and recycling EV batteries. Already, some companies are using spent EV batteries that can still hold some charge to store electricity generated by solar panels.
Likewise, as much as 95% of an EV battery can be recycled — making the critical minerals they contain ready for use in batteries again. There are some challenges involved. EV batteries aren’t as easy to recycle as, say, an aluminum can. And the price of recycled battery minerals is still high. But a number of companies across the U.S. are ramping up battery recycling plants — another way that the EV industry is creating domestic jobs.