Sustainable Management of End-of-Life Batteries of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles in Palestine

Hybrid and electric vehicle batteries reaching end of life are posing a serious environmental problem in Palestine. This paper aims to develop an effective mechanism to manage such batteries that reach end of life in Palestine. This study examines the status and trends of the electric and hybrid vehicle market in Palestine until 2035 and then proposes feasible solutions for managing used batteries. The results show that by 2035 the market share for electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles is predicted to be 28.5%; the batteries expected to reach end of life exceed 3000 batteries, with a total capacity of about 190 MW h. Second life implementation of batteries includes renewable energy system storage, electric vehicle charging stations, and energy management for residential and commercial applications. However, a regulatory framework and business models need to be developed toward this aim. Stringent laws on the disposal of batteries, along with financial incentives for collecting, refurbishing, and reusing the batteries, need to be imposed.