China figured out how to sell EVs. Now it has to deal with their aging batteries by Caiwei Chen

Typically, one of two things happens when an EV’s battery is retired. One is called cascade utilization, in which usable battery packs are tested and repurposed for slower applications like energy storage or low-speed vehicles. The other is full recycling: Cells are dismantled and processed to recover metals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, which are then reused to manufacture new batteries. Both these processes, if done properly, take significant upfront investment that is often not available to small players.

One of the countless other things where China has the lead and the world is waiting for them to innovate.

This is an interesting part of the equation. Ideally you want to be able to just replace the batteries. The whole design of the car should be based around that.

Or, the car makers need to subsidise people when they go back with their cars. And we are into a new she when people keep their cars for shorter periods, like phones. That can’t be environmentally sustainable.