Electric vehicle battery management in British Columbia

Abstract

Electric vehicle sales in British Columbia (BC) have increased by 840% since 2015, yet there is no clear end-of-life management plan in place for the lithium-ion batteries that power those vehicles. My research asks ‘what is the status of the management of end-of-life Lithium-ion (Li-ion) EVBs in BC?’ My research has uncovered a lack of communication among the different parties involved in the end-of-life management of EVBs which is leaving recyclers worried that the responsibilities for those batteries will be their burden. The BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy is updating the BC Recycling Regulations to require Electric Vehicle Battery Producers to have an operational Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Program by 2026. To successfully implement an electric vehicle battery EPR program, all stakeholders will need to collaborate, so the program is functional and sustainable for all. I also recommend further research on how the EPR program is implemented, who is included, and the opinions of the stakeholders on the process.