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REVIEW ARTICLE

Management of used electric vehicle battery modules: A review of existing approaches and a proposed decision-making algorithm

Lukas Riedelbauch1,2* ,  Nicolas Jäckel3 ,  Felix Kählert2 ,  Christian Weindl4 ,  Marco Denk1
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1 Center for Mobility and Energy, Faculty of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Coburg, Bavaria, Germany
2 LION Smart Production GmbH, Hildburghausen, Thuringia, Germany
3 LION Smart GmbH, Garching, Bavaria, Germany
4 Institute of High Voltage Technology, Energy System & Asset Diagnostics (IHEA), Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Coburg, Bavaria, Germany
JES, 025260009 https://doi.org/10.36922/JES025260009
Received: 25 June 2025 | Revised: 20 July 2025 | Accepted: 22 August 2025 | Published online: 8 September 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Given the anticipated surge in the number of retired electric vehicle batteries in the coming years, it is necessary to determine optimal reuse pathways. This paper provides an overview of existing literature on repurposing and recycling approaches for batteries, summarizing the current state of research and technology related to the management of used batteries. In addition, an investigation was conducted into available software tools designed to assess battery condition and inform decisions regarding their further use. The study identified that the European Union currently lacks a harmonized standard for evaluating used batteries, which is necessary to ensure the safety and performance in secondary applications. Research on software tools revealed the existence of reliable solutions for determining and assessing the condition of the battery, as well as tools focusing on service life modeling with a focus on design for recycling purposes. However, no comprehensive tool was found that integrates assessment of battery condition, potential for second use, and recycling options. Consequently, alongside the review of the current state of research, this study proposes a new decision-making algorithm. Unlike existing tools, this concept incorporates current and forecast market developments and considers both economic and ecological factors related to repurposing and recycling when recommending a course of action.

Keywords
Battery recycling
Decision support systems
Electric vehicle batteries
Second-life batteries
Funding
This study was funded by the Graduate College, Technology Alliance Upper Franconia (Grant number: Az. H-1241- 25-II/1.1.3).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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