Ather 450 Apex battery recycling in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada does not take whole packs. It receives black mass made from Ather 450 Apex modules that failed grading, and turns it into battery-grade salts.
Pack value at 80% SOH
173 USD
Hybrid Split
Second-life share
47%
At 80% SOH
Site capacity
45,000 TPA
Hydrometallurgical Refinery
Cities served
7
From Reno, Nevada
Where a Ather 450 Apex pack goes from Reno, Nevada
- 1
Collected via Dallas, Texas
Whole packs enter the network at Dallas — Texas Reverse Logistics Yard, 2,190 km away, where they are weighed and de-energised.
- 2
Graded at Fremont, California
Modules travel 291 km to Fremont — California Diagnostics Works for capacity, resistance and impedance testing across all 2 modules.
- 3
Second life at Gothenburg, Sweden
At 80% SOH about 47% of the pack qualifies for reuse and goes to Gothenburg — Nordic Second-Life Campus (8,309 km). Good — grade-A modules above 80% SOH qualify for commercial-scale BESS strings.
- 4
Refining at Reno, Nevada
Black mass from failed modules is leached and refined here into battery-grade nickel, cobalt and lithium salts.
| Stage | Facility | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest intake yard | Dallas — Texas Reverse Logistics Yard | 2,190 km |
| Nearest grading bench | Fremont — California Diagnostics Works | 291 km |
| Nearest second-life works | Gothenburg — Nordic Second-Life Campus | 8,309 km |
Faster option
Inside the Ather 450 Apex battery
The Ather 450 Apex (2024) carries a 3.7 kWh NMC 811 Cylindrical 2170 pack with 2 modules at 52 V, weighing roughly 21 kg. High-nickel cylindrical cells with the strongest hydrometallurgical recovery credit per tonne of black mass.
| Service year | SOH | Grade | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 2 | 94.5% | A — BESS ready | USD 231 |
| Year 4 | 90.2% | A — BESS ready | USD 222 |
| Year 6 | 85.9% | A — BESS ready | USD 210 |
| Year 8 | 81.6% | B — Second life | USD 182 |
| Year 10 | 77.3% | B — Second life | USD 160 |
What the chemistry means here
How it ages
NMC 811 loses capacity through a mix of SEI growth, cathode surface reconstruction and micro-cracking of nickel-rich particles. Resistance climbs faster than in LFP, which matters as much as capacity for second-life duty.
Thermal behaviour
High-nickel NMC cathodes release oxygen as they decompose, so once runaway starts it is fast and energetic. Cylindrical 2170 cells vent through a designed rupture point, which helps, but cell-to-cell propagation inside a tightly packed module is the main hazard.
Handling NMC 811 (2170)
Collecting a Ather 450 Apex pack
3.7 kWh, 2 modules, about 21 kg — this is how the Reno, Nevada team plans the job.
Removal
Removable packs are unclipped by hand; fixed packs are removed at the dealer bench with the frame supported.
Packaging
Packs travel in UN-approved steel or plastic cages with non-conductive dividers, typically dozens per cage.
Consolidation
Dealer and swap-station returns are aggregated at a single point so one collection clears many units.
Before the truck arrives
- Tape terminals and connectors on every pack
- Separate swollen or dropped packs into their own container
- Record serials in a single list per cage
- Store below 30% charge away from charging racks
Reno, Nevada site notes
- Only black mass and cell or cathode scrap are accepted at this site.
- Bulk bags must be sealed, labelled and accompanied by chemistry declarations.
- Deliveries are booked into fixed dock windows at the industrial centre.
- Settlement follows sampling and assay at intake, with results shared with the consignor.
What this pack yields
lithium
0.21 kg
nickel
1.36 kg
cobalt
0.17 kg
manganese
0.16 kg
copper
0.67 kg
aluminium
0.57 kg
Refining-route estimate at 80% SOH. Measured module health on the bench sets the final split.
Rules in United States
EPA universal waste rules, DOT hazardous materials regulations and state programmes
Regulator: EPA, DOT PHMSA and state environmental agencies
The refinery is permitted through the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, with conditions on air emissions, water use and hazardous materials. Inbound feed is managed under the applicable US EPA hazardous or universal waste rules, and shipments follow US DOT hazardous materials regulations.
Ather 450 Apex in Reno, Nevada: common questions
Can I drop off a Ather 450 Apex battery at Reno, Nevada?
Reno, Nevada is a hydrometallurgical refinery and does not accept whole packs from customers. Book a collection and the pack enters the network at Dallas, Texas, 2,190 km away.
What happens to Ather 450 Apex modules after Reno, Nevada?
Collected via Dallas, Texas, then Graded at Fremont, California, then Second life at Gothenburg, Sweden, then Refining at Reno, Nevada. At 80% SOH roughly 47% of the pack goes to second life and the rest is refined.
How should a Ather 450 Apex pack be prepared for pickup?
Tape terminals and connectors on every pack. Separate swollen or dropped packs into their own container. Record serials in a single list per cage. Store below 30% charge away from charging racks.
Which rules apply to Ather 450 Apex recycling in United States?
EPA universal waste rules, DOT hazardous materials regulations and state programmes, overseen by EPA, DOT PHMSA and state environmental agencies. Shipments follow DOT PHMSA 49 CFR requirements, with damaged or defective batteries under stricter special permits and packaging.
Cities collected by Reno, Nevada
Ather 450 Apex at other sites
Other two-wheeler packs at Reno, Nevada
Retiring Ather 450 Apex packs near Reno, Nevada?
Share pack counts and condition. The despatch desk confirms a collection window within one working day and sends the right packaging.