Circular Supply Chain Integration for EV Battery Reuse

Circular Supply Chain Integration for EV Battery Reuse

A UK-based EV fleet and service network was seeing a growing volume of end-of-life battery packs returning from vehicles. The returns were inconsistent: some packs arrived with good remaining capacity, others were degraded or damaged, and many lacked complete service history. The company wanted to capture value through second-life applications and recycling, but the supply chain was not designed for circular flows. Batteries were being stored too long, routing decisions were slow, and compliance documentation varied site to site—creating cost, risk, and missed revenue.

Greenovation Solutions was engaged to design a circular supply chain model that could reliably move returned batteries from collection points to the right outcome pathway: repurpose, refurbish, parts harvesting, or recycling. The goal was to turn uncertain returns into a predictable, auditable, and scalable circular pipeline.

What we did

We started by mapping the current return flow across depots and service centres: how batteries were collected, stored, transported, and handed off to third parties. We quantified where delays and costs were building up—especially in storage, transport inefficiencies, and repeated handling due to unclear routing decisions.

Next, we designed a reverse logistics structure that could work across multiple sites. This included a clear collection model (how packs move from service centres to consolidation hubs), transport routing rules, packaging and handling standards, and a practical approach to reduce unnecessary journeys.

A key part of the project was building a standardised triage and grading system. We introduced a simple A/B/C/D grading framework based on quick screening tests and safety checks:

• Grade A: safe and suitable for direct second-life repurposing

• Grade B: viable after controlled refurbishment or module replacement

• Grade C: not ideal for second-life, but suitable for parts harvesting or controlled recovery

• Grade D: direct recycling due to safety risk or low value for reuse

This grading system was connected to decision rules so staff could route batteries consistently and quickly, rather than leaving them in storage waiting for expert review.

To support compliance and partner confidence, we designed a traceability workflow that links each battery pack to a digital record: serial/ID, chemistry, test results, condition notes, storage status, and handover history. The output was an audit-ready “battery movement pack” that standardised chain-of-custody and reduced documentation gaps across sites.

Finally, we validated the business case with a techno-economic model. We compared the unit economics of repurposing versus recycling under realistic assumptions: transport distance, test time, failure rates, refurbishment cost, resale price of second-life systems, and recycling recovery value. This made it clear which pathway should be prioritised under different quality distributions and market conditions.

What the client received

• A full circular supply chain blueprint from collection → triage → routing → partner handoff

• Reverse logistics plan with routing rules and handling standards

• Battery grading standard and decision tree for consistent routing

• Partner model design (roles, incentives, commercial structure options)

• Traceability templates and compliance documentation workflow

• Techno-economic validation model with scenario and sensitivity analysis

• Pilot plan and scale roadmap (how to expand from 1–2 sites to multi-site operations)

Expected impact

With the new model, the client could reduce unnecessary storage time, improve safety and compliance consistency, and unlock new revenue streams by directing higher-quality packs into second-life pathways while pushing lower-quality packs efficiently into recycling. Most importantly, decision-making became faster and repeatable—enabling the circular program to scale beyond a single site without collapsing under operational complexity.

If you want, I can also generate two more supply-chain sample projects in the same “normal style”: one for industrial symbiosis (waste-to-value between factories) and one for circular packaging/take-back logistics.