EV Batteries: Too Tough to Die, Too Cool for the Junkyard

Turns out, EV batteries often outlive the cars they’re built for. Instead of heading to the scrap heap when the vehicle retires, they’re getting “promoted” to support our power grid.

Rivian and Redwood Materials just bundled 100 retired Rivian battery packs into a massive 10 MWh storage system at an Illinois plant to cut costs during peak demand. Meanwhile, Redwood is running a giant 63 MWh installation in Nevada powered by old GM batteries—the largest project of its kind in North America.

So while your car might have a shelf life, its battery is just moving on to its second, highly successful career keeping the lights on. It’s the ultimate corporate ladder climber!