Hyundai Kona Electric battery recycling in Stuttgart, Germany
Stuttgart, Germany is a diagnostics site: Hyundai Kona Electric packs arrive here from intake yards for module-level capacity, resistance and impedance testing, which decides reuse or refining.
Pack value at 80% SOH
1,711 USD
Hybrid Split
Second-life share
47%
At 80% SOH
Site capacity
28,000 TPA
Cell Grading & Diagnostics
Cities served
12
From Stuttgart, Germany
Where a Hyundai Kona Electric pack goes from Stuttgart, Germany
- 1
Collected via Dubai, UAE
Whole packs enter the network at Dubai — Jebel Ali Logistics Yard, 4,759 km away, where they are weighed and de-energised.
- 2
Module grading at Stuttgart, Germany
All 8 modules are tested for capacity, DC resistance and impedance, then assigned grade A to D.
- 3
Second life at Zwickau, Saxony
At 80% SOH about 47% of the pack qualifies for reuse and goes to Zwickau — Saxony Second-Life Works (321 km). Selective — only low-swell pouch stacks above 82% SOH are cleared for repurposing.
- 4
Refined at Lyon, France
Remaining modules are shredded to black mass and refined at Lyon — Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Refinery, 469 km away.
| Stage | Facility | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest intake yard | Dubai — Jebel Ali Logistics Yard | 4,759 km |
| Nearest second-life works | Zwickau — Saxony Second-Life Works | 321 km |
| Nearest refinery | Lyon — Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Refinery | 469 km |
Faster option
Inside the Hyundai Kona Electric battery
The Hyundai Kona Electric (2019) carries a 39.2 kWh NCA Pouch pack with 8 modules at 356 V, weighing roughly 212 kg. Premium nickel-cobalt pouch stacks with the highest recovery credit and the strictest safety handling class.
| Service year | SOH | Grade | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 2 | 94.8% | A — BESS ready | USD 2,129 |
| Year 4 | 90.5% | A — BESS ready | USD 2,048 |
| Year 6 | 86.2% | A — BESS ready | USD 1,956 |
| Year 8 | 81.9% | B — Second life | USD 1,777 |
| Year 10 | 77.6% | B — Second life | USD 1,640 |
What the chemistry means here
How it ages
NCA can deliver long life when it is kept in a moderate state-of-charge window, but it is sensitive to high voltage and heat. Swelling from gas generation is a common retirement signal in pouch formats.
Thermal behaviour
NCA shares the oxygen-release behaviour of high-nickel cathodes and is generally considered among the more reactive EV chemistries. Pouch cells have no rigid can, so mechanical damage and swelling translate quickly into safety risk.
Handling NCA Pouch
Collecting a Hyundai Kona Electric pack
39.2 kWh, 8 modules, about 212 kg — this is how the Stuttgart, Germany team plans the job.
Removal
Packs are dropped on a vehicle lift using the OEM procedure and a rated battery table, then isolated at the service disconnect.
Packaging
One pack per UN-rated pallet box, strapped and restrained, with terminals capped and coolant ports sealed.
Consolidation
Dealer and workshop returns are consolidated into full truckloads, typically eight or more packs per run.
Before the truck arrives
- Pull the service disconnect and record pack voltage
- Drain or cap coolant lines before lifting
- Photograph the pack casing and any impact damage
- Keep the VIN and pack serial together on the manifest
Stuttgart, Germany site notes
- 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.
What this pack yields
lithium
2.09 kg
nickel
15.24 kg
cobalt
2.52 kg
manganese
0.25 kg
copper
7.93 kg
aluminium
5.04 kg
Refining-route estimate at 80% SOH. Measured module health on the bench sets the final split.
Rules in Germany
EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and national implementing law
Regulator: 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.
Hyundai Kona Electric in Stuttgart, Germany: common questions
Can I drop off a Hyundai Kona Electric battery at Stuttgart, Germany?
Stuttgart, Germany is a cell grading & diagnostics and does not accept whole packs from customers. Book a collection and the pack enters the network at Dubai, UAE, 4,759 km away.
What happens to Hyundai Kona Electric modules after Stuttgart, Germany?
Collected via Dubai, UAE, then Module grading at Stuttgart, Germany, then Second life at Zwickau, Saxony, then Refined at Lyon, France. At 80% SOH roughly 47% of the pack goes to second life and the rest is refined.
How should a Hyundai Kona Electric pack be prepared for pickup?
Pull the service disconnect and record pack voltage. Drain or cap coolant lines before lifting. Photograph the pack casing and any impact damage. Keep the VIN and pack serial together on the manifest.
Which rules apply to Hyundai Kona Electric recycling in Germany?
EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and national implementing law, overseen by Umweltbundesamt (UBA) with registration through stiftung ear. Road transport follows ADR, and shipments out of Germany fall under the EU Waste Shipment Regulation.
Cities collected by Stuttgart, Germany
Hyundai Kona Electric at other sites
Retiring Hyundai Kona Electric packs near Stuttgart, Germany?
Share pack counts and condition. The despatch desk confirms a collection window within one working day and sends the right packaging.