Australia’s first scalable component re-use and resource recovery program of retired drive-battery packs from all forms of electric vehicle types (‘xEV’) including Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), and Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). As the industry evolves and transitions towards xEV, lithium-ion battery chemistries become more prominent, requiring a need for refurbishment program to reduce environmental impacts, such as by-product waste, and mitigate mining of raw materials such as lithium (Li) and Cobalt (Co). In creating a sustainable circular economy for xEV battery remanufacturing & re-use, IM Group is addressing an area of concern surrounding xEV life cycles. IM Group leading the way in scalable hybrid battery remanufacturing and Energy Storage System re-use of non-operational drive battery packs in xEV. The program was conceived in response to the number of HEV batteries and some BEV batteries now reaching their end of service life and, crucially, to reduce the number of drive-batteries being sent to landfills. With an environmental desire to close the waste streams and foster a circular economy, the "reduce, reuse, recycle" has never been more important. If no actions were taken to facilitate a sustainable circular economy, it would not only be unfortunate from an economic perspective, but it’s also an environmental disaster. Many of these battery packs have a substantial service life ahead of them and require only a small percentage of their components to be renewed or remanufactured to be perfectly serviceable.

Innovative Mechatronics Group: Dickson Leow; ARRB: Robert Kochhan