Australian partnership to create circular EV battery economy

Mazda Australia and Infinitev have announced a new strategic collaboration to deliver battery lifecycle management services.

Infinitev aims to create the first fully circular economy for EV batteries through its reuse, repurpose, and recycling solutions.

Our innovative reuse approach ensures that the transition to a circular economy is not only sustainable but also reduces waste and preserves valuable resources,” Infinitev general manager Dickson Leow says. 

“Through responsible battery management, we can accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and build a greener Australia,” he says.

“As we expand our line-up with electrified models such as the Mazda CX-60 and CX-90 that each benefit from sophisticated battery technologies, it’s essential that we maintain a multi-solution approach to this important aspect of a vehicles’ life cycle,” Mazda Australia marketing director Alastair Doak says.

“The recycling process provided by Infinitev will therefore be a key solution in giving valuable ‘second life’ opportunities to the batteries used in our vehicles,” he says.   

This collaboration between Infinitev and Mazda Australia marks a turning point in the automotive industry as Australia moves towards an electrified future. Through this partnership, a new recycling ecosystem will be created that gives consumers sustainable options that will reduce the overall carbon footprint of EVs.

“As part of this process, each battery undergoes a series of rigorous testing and safety checks (SafetyCheck). This ensures a clean and safe environment when we work with Mazda’s EV batteries,” Leow says.

Infinitev says it has developed a comprehensive suite of battery lifecycle management solutions. When a traction battery experiences diminished functionality within a vehicle, Infinitev initiates a rigorous protocol starting with a SafetyCheck—a meticulous examination encompassing both physical and electrochemical safety assessments of EV batteries.

Following the SafetyCheck, Infinitev’s engineers employ their proprietary HealthCheck diagnostic tools to conduct thorough performance evaluations of the battery pack and its modules. This assessment yields a precise characterisation, placing the modules into one of three distinct categories:

1.            A-grade modules are reused to build batteries for EV traction

2.            B-grade modules are repurposed for battery energy storage systems

3.            C-grade modules are recycled by Infinitev’s partners to recover valuable materials

With Australian demand for EVs forecasted to double by 2030, Infinitev says building a clean and sustainable process for batteries will play a vital part in the Australian economy.  Infinitev says it’s recycling system seeks to not only create long-term benefits for Australian EV drivers but also create a brand-new ecosystem that maximises the usage of batteries.