Researchers at UNSW Sydney are developing a rapid battery assessment platform that could make it faster and safer to identify electric vehicle batteries suitable for reuse rather than recycling or disposal.
The university is partnering with battery recycling company DY New Energy on a $1.3 million project supported by the Australian government’s Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) Lab to Market Fund.
The technology will be tested on more than 500 batteries under real-world conditions before being piloted at recycling facilities and second-life energy storage systems.
Battery Testing Reduced to Under Three Minutes
Conventional battery health assessments typically require full charge-discharge cycles, taking around 10 hours and costing approximately $120 per EV battery pack. The process can also expose damaged batteries to overheating and fire risks.
UNSW’s prototype instead uses short electrical pulses to assess individual battery cells. Statistical models then estimate battery health in under three minutes per cell, with laboratory tests demonstrating more than 90% accuracy.
Researchers aim to reduce testing costs to below $25 per battery pack.
“Fast, affordable testing is one of the key pieces needed to make that happen, because every battery we can safely give a second life keeps delivering value instead of heading straight to landfill,” said Associate Professor Huadong Mo.
AI System Determines Battery Reuse Potential
The project will also develop an AI-powered decision engine to recommend whether retired batteries should be reused or recycled. An intelligent Battery Management System (iBMS) will integrate these assessments into battery systems for real-time monitoring.
The platform is being designed to handle three major lithium-ion battery chemistries: lithium iron phosphate (LFP), nickel cobalt aluminium (NCA) and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC).
“We’ve designed our models to handle that variety, so the platform works with the batteries operators actually receive, not just ideal lab samples,” said Dr Ziyang Lyu.
Industry Testing Targets Commercial Deployment
UNSW is responsible for algorithm development, statistical modelling and system integration, while DY New Energy will provide battery data, industrial facilities and operational expertise.
The next phase will determine whether the technology can deliver reliable results across more than 500 batteries in commercial environments.
“Validating [our technology] across more than 500 batteries in real operating conditions is the critical next step,” Dr Lyu said.
The researchers also expect the platform to support future assessment and recycling of stationary energy storage batteries, helping develop Australia’s second-life battery industry and a more circular battery supply chain.