Ather 450X Gen 3 battery recycling in Yokohama, Kanagawa
Yokohama, Kanagawa is a diagnostics site: Ather 450X Gen 3 packs arrive here from intake yards for module-level capacity, resistance and impedance testing, which decides reuse or refining.
Pack value at 80% SOH
173 USD
Hybrid Split
Second-life share
47%
At 80% SOH
Site capacity
21,000 TPA
Cell Grading & Diagnostics
Cities served
3
From Yokohama, Kanagawa
Where a Ather 450X Gen 3 pack goes from Yokohama, Kanagawa
- 1
Collected via Ulsan, South Korea
Whole packs enter the network at Ulsan — Korea Recovery Campus, 935 km away, where they are weighed and de-energised.
- 2
Module grading at Yokohama, Kanagawa
All 2 modules are tested for capacity, DC resistance and impedance, then assigned grade A to D.
- 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 (8,567 km). Good — grade-A modules above 80% SOH qualify for commercial-scale BESS strings.
- 4
Refined at Ningde, Fujian
Remaining modules are shredded to black mass and refined at Ningde — Fujian Refining Base, 2,142 km away.
| Stage | Facility | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest intake yard | Ulsan — Korea Recovery Campus | 935 km |
| Nearest second-life works | Gothenburg — Nordic Second-Life Campus | 8,567 km |
| Nearest refinery | Ningde — Fujian Refining Base | 2,142 km |
Faster option
Inside the Ather 450X Gen 3 battery
The Ather 450X Gen 3 (2022) 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 | 95.3% | A — BESS ready | USD 233 |
| Year 4 | 91% | A — BESS ready | USD 224 |
| Year 6 | 86.7% | A — BESS ready | USD 215 |
| Year 8 | 82.4% | B — Second life | USD 187 |
| Year 10 | 78.1% | B — Second life | USD 164 |
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 450X Gen 3 pack
3.7 kWh, 2 modules, about 21 kg — this is how the Yokohama, Kanagawa 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
Yokohama, Kanagawa site notes
- Provide serial lists and vehicle information.
- Engineering packs need architecture details.
- Damaged packs require declaration.
- Port-linked shipments need documents in advance.
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 Japan
Act on the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources and the End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling Act
Regulator: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of the Environment
The works operates under Japanese waste and recycling laws, including the rules for end-of-life vehicle recycling. Transport follows Japanese dangerous goods regulations.
Ather 450X Gen 3 in Yokohama, Kanagawa: common questions
Can I drop off a Ather 450X Gen 3 battery at Yokohama, Kanagawa?
Yokohama, Kanagawa is a cell grading & diagnostics and does not accept whole packs from customers. Book a collection and the pack enters the network at Ulsan, South Korea, 935 km away.
What happens to Ather 450X Gen 3 modules after Yokohama, Kanagawa?
Collected via Ulsan, South Korea, then Module grading at Yokohama, Kanagawa, then Second life at Gothenburg, Sweden, then Refined at Ningde, Fujian. At 80% SOH roughly 47% of the pack goes to second life and the rest is refined.
How should a Ather 450X Gen 3 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 450X Gen 3 recycling in Japan?
Act on the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources and the End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling Act, overseen by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of the Environment. Lithium-ion batteries move as dangerous goods under national road and marine rules, with UN 3480 / UN 3481 packaging.
Cities collected by Yokohama, Kanagawa
Ather 450X Gen 3 at other sites
Other two-wheeler packs at Yokohama, Kanagawa
Retiring Ather 450X Gen 3 packs near Yokohama, Kanagawa?
Share pack counts and condition. The despatch desk confirms a collection window within one working day and sends the right packaging.