Driving EV Innovation: From Battery Reuse to Road Impact

NTRO is doing our part in driving change to support the shift to a decarbonised society.

As the world moves to electric transport, the importance of recycling and re-using batteries will be paramount. Although the batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are effective, they ultimately have a lifespan that diminishes over time, and soon we'll have a booming sector of reusable batteries.

In close tandem with Infinitev, we've created a ReUse Framework to evaluate and certify battery reuse processes. This process allows independent assessment of commercial providers, ensuring they meet technical, qualitative, and ethical standards. Providers who achieve compliance with this framework will be awarded an industry-recognized certification, enhancing their credibility and providing commercial certainty compared to uncertified competitors. By validating and certifying these processes, we're paving the way for a reliable and trustworthy market for reused EV and HEV batteries. NTRO Principal Professional Leader – Structures and Certification, Paul Hillier remarked, "Ultimately it would be pleasing if the re-use of EV batteries became as common-place, safe and convenient as the exchange of everyday items such as BBQ gas bottles, with the same rigour and consumer confidence of say a leading OEM’s certified used vehicle program.”

Along with the EV & HEV battery circle economy, we're developing scenarios and frameworks to assess the impact of future low to zero-carbon heavy vehicles (HVs) on road networks. Following an initial study on actions that road operators could take to support the transition to EVs, our teams have undertaken various projects to contribute to this goal.

These include projects to understand the potential differences in mass and dimensions of EV heavy vehicle compared to equivalent internal combustion engine HVs and what these changes might mean for the road infrastructure, particularly the pavements. NTRO Principle Professional, Asset Performance David Green comments, "The mass of the electric HV is more than that of the traditional diesel internal combustion engine HV for a comparable driving range and use case. Understanding what the impact of any additional permitted mass for electric HV will have on pavement wear and how this will be managed by road operators is critical in supporting the transition to electric HVs."

Our work involves reviewing current pavement impact models and building an evidence base for both present and future vehicle configurations. This framework has potential applications for transport jurisdictions nationwide, helping them prepare for the evolving landscape of low to zero emission heavy vehicles. We are also exploring how to support and enable the transition to electrified freight through EV HV targeted charging infrastructure.

To understand emission reduction opportunities, and to develop targeted governmental policies, we need to be able to measure the impact of all aspects of electric vehicles. NTRO Chief Technology Leader Transport Systems - Mobility Futures, Dr. Charles Karl remarks, "While the focus in the media is on the new electric vehicles, our work at NTRO is on the other parts of the EV ecosystem. People often seem to forget that fuel, storage, infrastructure, and operations all need to be in place for EVs to function well on our road network.”

We’re excited for the future of transport as NTRO is well-placed to support, engage, and offer
solutions in an ever-evolving infrastructure space. We’re ready to contribute to the necessary
step changes towards a decarbonised world.

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