Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 105658 |
| Journal | Resources, Conservation and Recycling |
| Volume | 172 |
| Early online date | 26 May 2021 |
| Publication status | Published - Sept 2021 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
With the burgeoning transition towards electrified vehicle fleets, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have come into focus for different stakeholders due to high costs, supply risks, production-related resource and energy demands and environmental concerns. Circular business models (CBMs) and Circular Economy (CE) strategies to slow and close resource loops are discussed as potential solutions. With a focus on circular business model elements and influencing factors, this research reviews literature on CE strategies for LIBs and benchmarks their current adoption amongst European vehicle manufacturers. These were identified by analysing companies’ websites and interviewing representatives from six companies. In addition, observation of a single manufacturer revealed further context-specific and internal factors. Finally, it reviews the external policy drivers and barriers for CE strategies for LIBs and discusses how policy can be further developed. The results demonstrate that many manufacturers are pursuing CE strategies, mostly focussed on repair, refurbishing, and repurposing. Variation in the operationalisation appears to be linked to the degree of manufacturer involvement, indicating that CBMs are context-specific and dependant on internal factors. All CBMs were found to require close collaboration between different stakeholders to build trust and reduce uncertainties. The necessity to design for disassembly and to build expertise to thoroughly diagnose the state of health of LIBs to enable life extending CBMs was highlighted. While the late 2020 proposal for new EU legislation for batteries contains ambitious new requirements that will incentivise CE strategies, there is still a need to consider further policy development to ensure adherence to the waste hierarchy.
Keywords
- Circular business models, Circular economy, Electric vehicles, Lithium-ion batteries, Recycling, Second life
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science(all)
- Waste Management and Disposal
- Economics, Econometrics and Finance(all)
- Economics and Econometrics
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Vol. 172, 105658, 09.2021.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Circular business models for electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries
T2 - An analysis of current practices of vehicle manufacturers and policies in the EU
AU - Albertsen, Levke
AU - Richter, Jessika Luth
AU - Peck, Philip
AU - Dalhammar, Carl
AU - Plepys, Andrius
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021
PY - 2021/9
Y1 - 2021/9
N2 - With the burgeoning transition towards electrified vehicle fleets, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have come into focus for different stakeholders due to high costs, supply risks, production-related resource and energy demands and environmental concerns. Circular business models (CBMs) and Circular Economy (CE) strategies to slow and close resource loops are discussed as potential solutions. With a focus on circular business model elements and influencing factors, this research reviews literature on CE strategies for LIBs and benchmarks their current adoption amongst European vehicle manufacturers. These were identified by analysing companies’ websites and interviewing representatives from six companies. In addition, observation of a single manufacturer revealed further context-specific and internal factors. Finally, it reviews the external policy drivers and barriers for CE strategies for LIBs and discusses how policy can be further developed. The results demonstrate that many manufacturers are pursuing CE strategies, mostly focussed on repair, refurbishing, and repurposing. Variation in the operationalisation appears to be linked to the degree of manufacturer involvement, indicating that CBMs are context-specific and dependant on internal factors. All CBMs were found to require close collaboration between different stakeholders to build trust and reduce uncertainties. The necessity to design for disassembly and to build expertise to thoroughly diagnose the state of health of LIBs to enable life extending CBMs was highlighted. While the late 2020 proposal for new EU legislation for batteries contains ambitious new requirements that will incentivise CE strategies, there is still a need to consider further policy development to ensure adherence to the waste hierarchy.
AB - With the burgeoning transition towards electrified vehicle fleets, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have come into focus for different stakeholders due to high costs, supply risks, production-related resource and energy demands and environmental concerns. Circular business models (CBMs) and Circular Economy (CE) strategies to slow and close resource loops are discussed as potential solutions. With a focus on circular business model elements and influencing factors, this research reviews literature on CE strategies for LIBs and benchmarks their current adoption amongst European vehicle manufacturers. These were identified by analysing companies’ websites and interviewing representatives from six companies. In addition, observation of a single manufacturer revealed further context-specific and internal factors. Finally, it reviews the external policy drivers and barriers for CE strategies for LIBs and discusses how policy can be further developed. The results demonstrate that many manufacturers are pursuing CE strategies, mostly focussed on repair, refurbishing, and repurposing. Variation in the operationalisation appears to be linked to the degree of manufacturer involvement, indicating that CBMs are context-specific and dependant on internal factors. All CBMs were found to require close collaboration between different stakeholders to build trust and reduce uncertainties. The necessity to design for disassembly and to build expertise to thoroughly diagnose the state of health of LIBs to enable life extending CBMs was highlighted. While the late 2020 proposal for new EU legislation for batteries contains ambitious new requirements that will incentivise CE strategies, there is still a need to consider further policy development to ensure adherence to the waste hierarchy.
KW - Circular business models
KW - Circular economy
KW - Electric vehicles
KW - Lithium-ion batteries
KW - Recycling
KW - Second life
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85107038731&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105658
DO - 10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105658
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85107038731
VL - 172
JO - Resources, Conservation and Recycling
JF - Resources, Conservation and Recycling
SN - 0921-3449
M1 - 105658
ER -