German research institute Fraunhofer IWU said it is working with engineering firm EDAG Production Solutions to develop an automated pilot plant in Chemnitz that will dismantle used electric vehicle batteries as an alternative to conventional shredding.
The project aims to process high-voltage storage systems that are no longer suitable for vehicles but still contain functional cells. These could be reused in large stationary storage applications for households, companies, or grid operators.
“Shredding used modules or entire high-voltage storage systems would thus waste valuable resources. By repairing and remanufacturing these batteries, not only can precious resources be preserved, but the lifespan of the components can also be extended,” the project partners said.
The Chemnitz facility will use AI-supported systems to enable variant-flexible, largely damage-free disassembly of modules and cells. Intact units could be reused in new traction batteries, while defective ones will be recycled to recover raw materials such as lithium and cobalt.
Fraunhofer said the plant will also act as a data platform to help standardise reuse and recycling processes and support worker training in Saxony.