Repairable batteries are critical to the EV and Ebike circular economy
Gouach brings vital tech to the right to repair micromobility
Dott uses repairable batteries to help close its battery loop
Micromobility providerDottis using the repairable batteries on its ebikes and escooters. Their modular design makes it easy to disassemble and repair batteries with minor defects and get the batteries back into its vehicles.
As the company asserts:
It’s terrific to see companies making further steps towards sustainability. However, there needs to be more pressure for repairable batteries becoming a reality on the regulatory side.
Research conductedby the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), and the Right to Repair campaign late last year found thatsoftware lockshinder battery refurbishment.
They discovered thatebikesdesigned and manufactured byBosch, Yamaha, and Specialized are examples of brands that use software locks.
Furthermore, while battery cells have a standard format (18650being the most popular), the battery packs and management systems are tailored to manufacturers and sometimes to specific bike models, creating barriers torepair and replacement.
EU legislation would help solve this issue across the region. If ebike makers and manufacturers had to abide by regulations regarding the right to repair, refurbishment, and responsible recycling, this would advance true electric batterysustainability.
A rechargeable future is possible and inevitable — but there’s still a lot to do to ensure that the impact can represent the growth of ebikes and escooters.
Regulators can help usher in repairable batteries
Story byCate Lawrence
Cate Lawrence is an Australian tech journo living in Berlin. She focuses on all things mobility: ebikes, autonomous vehicles, VTOL, smart ci(show all)Cate Lawrence is an Australian tech journo living in Berlin. She focuses on all things mobility: ebikes, autonomous vehicles, VTOL, smart cities, and the future of alternative energy sources like electric batteries, solar, and hydrogen.
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