Ecobat Solutions UK Ltd has confirmed the opening of an on-site EV charging facility for staff and visitors with the power coming from an unexpected source. The Darlaston-based company employs over 85 staff in the UK alone. Its EV battery diagnosis and disassembly centre opened in January 2021 and has already repaired, re-engineered or recycled more than 5500 batteries, in partnership with vehicle and equipment manufacturers.
Ecobat collects EV batteries, including end-of-life, damaged, defective, and critical units, from all around the UK. Once on-site, batteries are analysed for state of health and discharged prior to re-engineering or recycling. The power from this discharge process is entirely captured and deployed within the facility, including the new EV charging points.
“When we welcome customers to site, they are invited to charge their electric vehicles with energy derived from the very batteries we are recycling,” said Elliott Ethridge, Vice President of Global Sales at Ecobat Solutions. “Energy capture is an integrated part of our system and it’s yet another demonstration of circularity in action here at Ecobat.”
Ecobat Solutions has also begun first-stage recycling of end-of-life battery cells and modules in the UK. This means that output fractions, which contain elements such as nickel, cobalt, and lithium, can be returned to the supply chain in place of mined materials.
Circularity and sustainability are a defining part of what Ecobat does globally as a recycler. The company has recently published its 2022 Sustainability Report, showing Ecobat’s determination to provide not only economic value but also environmental and social value. Ecobat’s long-term approach includes setting targets and taking actionable steps that address global sustainability challenges, as well as reflecting on opportunities to improve through innovation and product development.
Ecobat Solutions’ Darlaston base is the blueprint for the company’s advanced battery operations, with further facilities in development across Europe and recently announced in the US. The company offers an integrated service to vehicle and equipment OEMs across Europe, covering logistics, diagnosis, discharge, re-engineering for re-use, and recycling, ensuring that EV batteries are managed and well deployed throughout their useful life.
