Old Nissan Leaf batteries are now powering the robots that used to make them
It’s come full circle, is that the circular economy
Coming full circle
Back in 2010, Nissan launched the Leaf, its cutesy electric city car. It was one of the first truly mass market EVs, and it has proved popular all over the world.
Though it had a downside. The early models had passively cooled battery packs, which mean their batteries were subject to greater swings in temperature under charge and discharge.
Ultimately, this shortened the useful life of the batteries, and many early Leaf owners have experienced battery degradation.
While that sucks for the drivers, it sucks even more for the planet if we can’t do anything at all with the batteries.
Thankfully, like Nissan plenty of companies are coming up with ideas to recycle and reuse EV waste, before it hits landfill.
VWrecently showed off its recycling processwhich it says can recover up to 95% of a battery’s waste material.
Old Nissan Leaf batteries have also been used topower a small passenger ferryin the UK.
Do EVs excite your electrons? Do ebikes get your wheels spinning? Do self-driving cars get you all charged up?
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Story byMatthew Beedham
Matthew is the editor of SHIFT. He likes electric cars, and other things with wheels, wings, or hulls.Matthew is the editor of SHIFT. He likes electric cars, and other things with wheels, wings, or hulls.
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