Fremont — California Diagnostics Works
Fremont, California facility: diagnostics centre running module-level SOH, impedance and optical grading to split reuse from refining. Rated at 24,000 tonnes per annum and operating since 2020.
Annual capacity
24,000 TPA
Operating lines
3
Cities collected
0
In operation since
2020
About the Fremont, California facility
Fremont sits in the southern East Bay, part of a Bay Area cluster that combines vehicle production, battery start-ups and energy storage developers. The diagnostics works opened on Fremont Boulevard in 2020 to grade packs from California, the largest EV market in the United States, where many of the earliest mass-market electric cars are now reaching the end of their road life.
With 24,000 TPA of capacity, the works tests large volumes of passenger-car packs from dismantlers, dealers and fleets. Its location also suits pilot-line and R&D material from Bay Area companies developing new cells and packs, while Grade A modules find a ready market in California's strong demand for energy storage. Dismantlers are a large and steady source of the site's intake, bringing packs already removed from vehicles.
What arrives at the gate
What sets this site apart
Largest US EV market
Serves California, where many of the first mass-market EVs are now retiring.
R&D material handling
Accepts experimental cells and packs from local technology developers.
Storage-market supply
Grade A modules feed California's strong demand for energy storage.
What happens to material here
- 1
Intake & safety triage
Packs are logged, thermally imaged and screened for swelling, coolant ingress or venting before entering the bench area.
- 2
Controlled de-energising
Residual energy is discharged to a safe state of charge with regenerative load banks and recorded per serial number.
- 3
Module-level capacity test
Full charge-discharge cycling at C/3 establishes usable capacity, internal resistance and cell-to-cell balance.
- 4
EIS fingerprinting
1 mHz–10 kHz impedance sweeps separate SEI growth, lithium plating and contact resistance degradation modes.
- 5
AI optical inspection
Machine-vision inspection of busbars, welds and cell cans flags mechanical defects that block second-life reuse.
- 6
Grade assignment
Grade A (≥85% SOH), B (75–85%), C (65–75%) and D routes are assigned, with D-grade material released to refining.
Where material goes next
| Role | Facility | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Second-Life BESS Works | Gothenburg — Nordic Second-Life Campus | 8,586 km |
| Hydrometallurgical Refinery | Reno — Nevada Hydrometallurgy Refinery | 291 km |
| Integrated Recovery Campus | Detroit — Michigan Closed-Loop Plant | 3,332 km |
Local rules
EPA universal waste rules, DOT hazardous materials regulations and state programmes · EPA, DOT PHMSA and state environmental agencies
The works operates under California's demanding hazardous-waste regime, overseen by the Department of Toxic Substances Control, alongside local permitting. California has also legislated towards producer responsibility for EV batteries, so records are kept in a form that supports evolving requirements. Transport follows US DOT hazardous materials rules.
Before you book into Fremont, California
- Experimental cells must be declared with chemistry and any known hazards.
- Dismantlers should remove and secure packs before the collection vehicle arrives.
- Include VINs or serial numbers to support California record-keeping.
- Damaged packs require advance notice and ship under separate paperwork.
Damaged or defective packs are handled under a separate quarantine protocol — flag them in the form and the team calls you back the same day.
Fremont, California site: common questions
Does Fremont accept prototype cells?
Yes, with a declaration of chemistry and known hazards so they can be handled safely.
Why is Fremont's documentation so detailed?
California applies demanding hazardous-waste rules, so complete records are kept for every consignment.
What are the opening hours at Fremont, California?
Monday to Friday 08:00 – 20:00, Saturday 08:00 – 16:00. Sunday: emergency and damaged-pack intake only, by prior booking.
How do I book a collection into Fremont, California?
Use the booking button on this page with pack counts, chemistry and condition. The despatch desk confirms a window within one working day and ships UN-approved packaging before collection.