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Lack of standards for repairing and replacing EV battery packs could lead to higher insurance premiums, according to a recent Reuters report (via Automotive News).
Battery packs can represent up to 50% of an EV’s price tag, often making it uneconomical to replace them, according to the report. And while there’s no standard procedure for dealing with a damaged battery pack, it’s more common to replace than repair. In some cases it can result in a relatively new vehicle being “totalized” by the insurance company for minor damage.
Automaker policies regarding the repairability of battery packs vary, the report found. Ford says individual battery modules are replaceable, and says it has developed an easier way to replace the battery pack tray if the outside is damaged. Nissan and Renault also said the modules could be replaced without discarding the entire package, but indicated that this could only be done at a dealer or other manufacturer-related facility.
Polestar 2 battery pack
Stellantis said it did not repair the battery after an accident in which the airbag inflated, while the structural package in the newer version of the Tesla Model Y, using 4680 format cells, was beyond repair, according to the report.
Repairability may also be an issue with cell-to-packet technologies that skip modules for increased performance and energy density. Chinese battery company CATL is starting to offer it to automakers, starting with Geely’s Zeekr brand, and potentially expanding to future Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis models. Chinese startup Beta Auto aims to advance the concept with cell-to-chassis applications, though so far neither company has announced plans to use either configuration in US-market vehicles.
GM electric pickup silhouette – from the preview of the 2020 Ultium platform
General Motors says its new Ultium battery pack is designed to be repaired at the module level, and previously boasted that its wireless battery management system and package structure will enable new cell designs without redesigning the package — and possibly enable simpler package repairs.
While automakers can’t agree on whether battery packs should be repaired or replaced, they are gradually coming together to recycle those packs and their precious materials when they actually reach the end of their useful life. GM has appointed Li-Cycle Canada as the official recycler for Ultium battery cells, while Ford, Toyota, and the Volkswagen Group’s Audi and VW brands have partnered with Redwood Materials.
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