• Identify the vehicle make, model, and year for each battery to be collected.
• Look for the battery label and identify:
  • Chemistry (i.e. Lithium-ion, Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH))
  • Battery serial number, part number, or similar identifying number
    Measure the battery length, width, and height in centimetres or inches.
• Weigh the battery if possible, in kilograms or pounds (optional).

Transport Canada requires the shipper to identify if the battery is End-of-Life (EOL) or damaged-defective (DD). A battery may be identified as End-of-Life only after ruling out any characteristics of damage or defect.

Damaged battery characteristics:

• Dents, punctures, cracks in battery outer shell.
• Water damage including water coming out from within the battery pack*.
• Corrosion on the terminals.
• Broken terminals.
• Loose wiring either inside the battery pack or hanging out of the battery pack.
• Signs of tampering.

*If your electric vehicle and/or battery pack has been damaged due to flooding (salt water or fresh water) do not attempt to charge or drive the vehicle/battery. Call first responders as the battery pack may now be at risk of a thermal event.

Thermal event battery characteristics:

Thermal event batteries are classified as damaged, however have different characteristics:

• Burnt appearance and/or soot
• Melted plastic.
• Hot to touch.
• White/grey smoke.
• Sweet bubble gum type of smell.
• Crackling sound.

Defective battery characteristics:

• The battery management system is giving a defective message and/or the vehicle manufacturer has determined the battery to be defective in nature.

End-of-life battery definition:

• A used EV battery that has come to the end of its service life in its current vehicle. This battery has no signs of damage, defects, or past and present thermal events.