Guidance: EV Battery Management Infographics

Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) and Call2Recycle are pleased to introduce three Electric Vehicle (EV) Battery Management infographics to visually inform battery holders of good practices to consider in preparing EV batteries for transportation. This document is provided for educational purposes only.

Electric Vehicle Battery Management Guidance:  An Overview – Infographic Page 1

The infographic above displays seven consecutive steps that may be taken into account for electric vehicle battery management, which is the act of preparing for, collecting, transporting, and delivering an EV battery from point A to point B.  The following workflow and data collection occur at each step:

1. Location: Address of site where the battery is to be collected.
2. Battery Identification: Chemistry, dimensions, weight, and identification number.
3. Battery Dispositioning: Classifying the status of the battery by determining whether the battery is at its end-of-life (EOL), or damaged-defective (DD) per US DOT regulation 49 CFR 173.185.
4. Collection Logistics: Determining if the battery needs a shipping container and if fire suppressant is also required; if the battery/container length fits within the opening of the transport trailer; if the collection location has a loading dock, forklift, and/or pallet jack; and that the shipper is Hazmat Shipper Certified to handle lithium-ion batteries per 49 CFR 172.704.
5. Transportation: Signing of bill of lading by the location’s hazmat shipper employee; hiring the carrier, collecting the battery, and delivering the battery.
6. Transportation Documentation: Using the battery identification number to keep a record of the battery’s location during transport.
7. Destination: Address of the battery site destination.

If there is a battery incident during transport, a separate and unique emergency response action would occur, followed by the need to start the collection process over again.

Emergency Response:  When a battery goes into thermal runway during transport, first responders and battery hazmat material responders should be immediately called to the scene.  The first responders will control the scene while battery hazmat material responders will disassemble the batteries and repack in PG1 drums with fire suppressant for shipping. The process begins again with Step 1 of Battery Management Guidance above.

Electric Vehicle Battery Dispositioning – Infographic Page 2

The process of using visual cues to determine if the battery is end-of-life (EOL) or damaged-defective (DD).

Electric Vehicle Battery Dispositioning Characteristics – Infographic Page 3

Damaged-defective (DD) batteries may show signs of thermal events, damage, or defects.  Start by looking for thermal event characteristics, and if not present, look for damaged or defective characteristics. If none of these characteristics are present, then the battery can typically be dispositioned as end-of-life (EOL).

Acknowledgements: This document was produced through a collaborative process by representatives of Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) and Call2Recycle.

Disclaimer: This document is provided for educational purposes only. The information included is based on the professional judgment of the individual authors as of December 2024 and may be used at your discretion. SP and its member companies make no warranty, expressed or implied, and assume no liability for any form of damage that may result from use of this document. It is the responsibility of every company handling EV batteries to understand and comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Contact: Please submit any feedback on this guidance document or suggestions for future improvements to info@supplierspartnership.org