The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry and major automobile manufacturers are planning to establish a system to reuse batteries installed in electric vehicles (EV).
In the new system, options for reuse will be presented depending on the degree of deterioration of the battery. This move is also expected to increase the number of storage batteries that can be used by households and local governments in times of disaster, and revitalize the used EV market.
The performance of EV batteries deteriorates gradually after repeated charging. Even when their displays show "100%" or "full," deteriorated batteries run out faster or take longer to charge. As it's difficult to ascertain how much battery performance remains, recycling has not progressed.
In September, the ministry released a draft guideline calling on automakers to clearly indicate the remaining battery performance in 10 stages, for vehicles produced after 2022. Under the new system, cars with still strongly performing batteries are expected to be sold as used vehicles.
If a battery's performance is mid-level, it will be distributed to households or local governments as a storage battery, and if low, it will be recycled.
The reuse of batteries could lead to better disaster management in local communities and the spread of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, whose power generation capacity is easily affected by weather. The used EV market is also expected to expand, making it easier to buy EVs, which are more expensive than gasoline-powered vehicles.
The ministry and others held a meeting for the first time on Wednesday (Dec. 25) to discuss ways to reuse the batteries. Automakers, electrical appliance makers and electric power companies will work together to discuss how to collect batteries, determine what level of performance they are at, and reuse them.
A report is scheduled to be compiled within this fiscal year.
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