Stuttgart — Baden-Wurttemberg Grading Works
Stuttgart, Germany facility: diagnostics centre running module-level SOH, impedance and optical grading to split reuse from refining. Rated at 28,000 tonnes per annum and operating since 2016.
Annual capacity
28,000 TPA
Operating lines
3
Cities collected
12
In operation since
2016
About the Stuttgart, Germany facility
Stuttgart is home to several premium vehicle makers and a dense network of engineering suppliers across Baden-Württemberg. The grading works opened in 2016, the network's first European diagnostics site, and with 28,000 TPA of capacity it remains one of the largest. Its early start means it has tested European pack designs through several generations of technology. Supplier returns are a steady part of its work.
The works focuses on premium passenger-car packs, engineering test and validation packs, and supplier returns. Premium platforms often use complex high-voltage architectures and tightly integrated cooling, so the team's experience with them shortens disassembly time and improves the accuracy of module-level grading. Material below reuse threshold is consolidated and sent to integrated campuses for black mass production, and grade reports are issued for every unit tested.
What arrives at the gate
What sets this site apart
First European grading site
Operating since 2016, with data across several pack generations.
Premium platform expertise
Experienced with complex high-voltage premium architectures.
Supplier engineering support
Grades returned units so suppliers can understand failure patterns.
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 | Zwickau — Saxony Second-Life Works | 321 km |
| Hydrometallurgical Refinery | Lyon — Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Refinery | 469 km |
| Integrated Recovery Campus | Toronto — Ontario Recovery Campus | 6,440 km |
Local rules
EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and national implementing law · Umweltbundesamt (UBA) with registration through stiftung ear
The works operates under German environmental permitting and battery law aligned with the EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542. Transport follows ADR rules for dangerous goods, including the special provisions for damaged or defective lithium batteries.
Before you book into Stuttgart, Germany
- Engineering packs should come with architecture information.
- Suppliers can book recurring collections for returns.
- Damaged packs need ADR-compliant packaging.
- Send a serial list with each delivery.
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.
Stuttgart, Germany site: common questions
Does Stuttgart grade test packs?
Yes. Engineering and validation packs are a regular part of its intake.
How long has the Stuttgart site operated?
Since 2016, making it the network's first European grading works.
What are the opening hours at Stuttgart, Germany?
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 Stuttgart, Germany?
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.