Circular design criteria and indicators for the sustainable life cycle management of electric vehicle batteries

Abstract

The implementation of circular economy (CE) criteria and indicators in the design stage of electric vehicle (EV) batteries could optimise their life cycle resource efficiency and environmental performance. However, the viability of using circularity criteria and indicators to develop more environmentally sustainable EV batteries remains unclear due to the lack of scientific and industrial case studies. The goal of this paper is to show the perceptions from relevant stakeholders about the suitability of the implementation of circularity criteria and indicators for EV batteries design and life cycle management (LCM). A total of 24 industrial and academic stakeholders were engaged in individual meetings to assess the importance and applicability of 30 circularity design criteria and 15 product-level circularity indicators, collected through a review of academic papers, policy regulations, and industry reports. According to the consulted stakeholders, i) “focus on quality of performance”, ii) “favour cleaner production”, and iii) “use digitalisation and internet-of-things solutions” were identified as the most suitable criteria for implementation. Regarding circularity indicators, End of Life Indices and the Product Circularity Indicator were considered the most relevant for use due to their coverage of multiple life cycle stages and circularity strategies. However, the results suggest a discrepancy in stakeholders' views regarding the best circular design criteria and the most suitable circularity indicators. Consequently, there is yet a lack of adequate indicators for sustainable EV battery design and LCM incorporating the required circular design criteria. Accordingly, future research should focus on defining and aligning specific circularity criteria and indicators for EV batteries to support and monitor sustainable innovation.