Forecasting When Used Electric Car Batteries Will Be Available for Reuse

This patent describes a system that predicts when electric vehicles will reach the end of their useful life and how much capacity their batteries will still have, to forecast the future supply of batteries that can be reused in other applications.

What it covers

This system, often a central server, collects two main types of information from many vehicles: performance data about their secondary batteries (like total capacity or maximum output current) and state data about the vehicle itself (like total travel distance or hours used) (Claim 1). It then uses the historical trends of this data to make two key predictions. First, it forecasts when each vehicle will reach its 'end of life,' which is defined by a specific travel distance or amount of time used (Claims 1, 2, 3). Second, it predicts the battery's performance (e.g., remaining capacity) at that vehicle's end of life (Claims 1, 4, 5). Finally, the system combines all these individual vehicle and battery predictions to forecast the total number of recyclable batteries that will become available during a future period, considering their type and expected performance for reuse in separate devices (Claim 1). For example, if a fleet of delivery vans reports their mileage and battery health, the system can predict how many usable batteries will be ready for a second life in energy storage systems next year.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover forecasting for batteries that are not originally mounted on vehicles (Claim 1).
• —Does not cover forecasting the end of a vehicle's life without using historical state information, such as past travel distance or used hours (Claim 1).
• —Does not cover forecasting battery performance without using historical performance information, such as past total capacity or maximum output current (Claim 1).
• —Does not cover forecasting for batteries that are not intended for reuse in 'separate devices' after their vehicle's end of life (Claim 1).
• —Does not cover systems where the vehicle's 'end of life' is not determined by a predetermined travel distance or used hours (Claims 1, 2, 3).

The clever bit

The clever part is linking the predicted end of a vehicle's operational life to the predicted remaining performance of its battery, then aggregating these predictions to forecast a future supply of reusable batteries.

Why it matters

As electric vehicles become more common, there will be a growing need to manage and reuse their large batteries efficiently. This patent addresses the challenge of predicting the supply of these 'second-life' batteries, which can then be used for other purposes like grid energy storage. Accurate forecasting helps industries plan for resource availability, optimize recycling processes, and build new markets for used battery technology. It supports a more sustainable approach to battery lifecycle management.

Real-world examples

• 1.Electric vehicle fleet management systems
• 2.Battery recycling and remanufacturing programs
• 3.Companies planning for grid-scale energy storage using second-life EV batteries
• 4.Automotive manufacturers developing battery reuse strategies