Articles
Inside the EV Battery Recovery™ Program: How It Works
As electric vehicles (EVs) are available in the market and consumer adoption increases, there are often questions about the proper management of EV batteries when they reach their end-of-life.
With an average lifespan of 15 to 18 years*, an EV battery’s useful life can be extended through repair, remanufacturing, repurposing, reselling for reuse, and eventually recycling. However, when battery holders, including auto dismantlers and recyclers, independent garages and repair shops, shredders, independent dealers, and fleet operators, are responsible for a low-value or unwanted EV battery that cannot easily move through established pathways, they are often left asking: What do I do with this now?
That’s where the EV Battery Recovery™ program can play an important role.
A First-of-Its-Kind National Solution
Created and funded by participating vehicle manufacturers, the EV Battery Recovery™ program is the first initiative of its kind in Canada and in North America, providing a harmonized national system for the safe and responsible collection, transportation, and management of eligible end-of-life EV batteries from hybrid, plug-in hybrid, all-electric, and fuel cell vehicles in Canada. Batteries recovered through the program are repurposed, remanufactured, or recycled, reducing waste, conserving critical resources, and supporting Canada’s circular EV supply chain.
Initially launched in Quebec in 2023 and now available nationwide, the program connects battery holders across every province and territory to qualified service providers who can facilitate proper packaging, pickup, and transportation in compliance with safety and regulatory requirements. It is designed to complement, not replace, individual vehicle manufacturers’ programs for existing warranty, recall, and remanufacturing pathways, as well as existing market-driven processes for reselling the used EV battery for a variety of end uses. Instead, it fills a critical gap, providing a solution for potentially low-value, unwanted, or hard-to-manage batteries, ensuring no eligible EV battery is left unmanaged without a responsible path forward. 
Shaping Canada’s Emerging EV Battery Management System
At the core of the EV Battery Recovery program is the battery itself. Due to their size, energy capacity, weight, as well as their designation as a dangerous good, EV batteries, especially lithium-ion, can be more challenging to manage than traditional end-of-life materials. When an EV battery falls outside established warranty, recall, remanufacturing, or resale pathways, battery holders must navigate stringent packaging and transportation requirements, as well as an evolving mix of end-of-life processors.
The EV Battery Recovery™ program helps unravel these complexities by connecting battery holders to a safe, reliable, and compliant recovery ecosystem. While sometimes mistaken for an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model, it is a proactive, industry-led initiative where each participating manufacturer remains responsible for the funding, recovery, and reporting of its own products placed into the market. By bringing these responsibilities together under one coordinated framework, the program streamlines an otherwise unknown process while complementing existing battery management pathways and preventing stranded batteries.
Vehicle manufacturers have contracted Call2Recycle Canada to operate the EV Battery Recovery program, leveraging the organization’s expertise in end-of-life battery management to design, launch, and administer a common outreach platform called EVBatteryRecovery.ca. The program addresses current market needs but also generates information to ensure effective and efficient end-of-life EV battery management solutions in Canada.
How the Program Works
The EVBatteryRecovery.ca platform guides battery holders through a simple, step-by-step process to ensure every eligible battery is safely and compliantly collected, transported, and directed to the appropriate end-of-life pathway, whether for repurposing, remanufacturing, or recycling.
- Confirm Eligibility
Battery holders verify whether the battery meets program criteria. If eligible, all packaging, logistics, and processing costs are fully covered. - Gather Basic Battery Information
Battery holders provide key information, such as the vehicle make, model, year, battery chemistry, size, weight, and photos, to help the assigned service provider determine the most suitable container, transportation, and end-of-life management destination.
- Initiate the Recovery Request
Battery holders contact Call2Recycle with the information requested. Call2Recycle will confirm next steps and coordinate logistics. - Packaging, Transportation, and Documentation
If specialized packaging is needed, it will be provided at no cost. The service provider supplies battery preparation guidance and Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) documentation and arranges the pick-up. - Battery Assessment and Final Destination
Collected batteries are assessed and directed to the most responsible and beneficial pathway, whether repurposing, remanufacturing, or recycling. Batteries are never sent to landfills.
Accessing the EV Battery Recovery Program
As Canada’s EV ecosystem matures, end-of-life EV batteries will emerge over time at different points and in varying conditions across the value chain, including outside established programs or processes. For battery holders encountering low-value or unwanted EV batteries, the EV Battery Recovery™ program offers a national recovery option to support safe and responsible management. To learn more or to initiate a recovery request, visit EVBatteryRecovery.ca.
*EV Battery Life: 15–20 Years? Real Data, Degradation & Tips
