Nissan Leaf ZE1 battery recycling in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu
Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu does not take whole packs. It receives black mass made from Nissan Leaf ZE1 modules that failed grading, and turns it into battery-grade salts.
Pack value at 80% SOH
1,167 USD
Hybrid Split
Second-life share
47%
At 80% SOH
Site capacity
32,000 TPA
Hydrometallurgical Refinery
Cities served
10
From Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu
Where a Nissan Leaf ZE1 pack goes from Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu
- 1
Collected via Zaheerabad, Telangana
Whole packs enter the network at Hyderabad — Zaheerabad Recovery Campus, 581 km away, where they are weighed and de-energised.
- 2
Graded at Hosur, Tamil Nadu
Modules travel 230 km to Bengaluru — Hosur Diagnostics Centre for capacity, resistance and impedance testing across all 24 modules.
- 3
Second life at Butibori, Maharashtra
At 80% SOH about 47% of the pack qualifies for reuse and goes to Nagpur — Butibori Second-Life Works (893 km). Limited — accelerated manganese dissolution caps second-life warranty terms at 36 months.
- 4
Refining at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu
Black mass from failed modules is leached and refined here into battery-grade nickel, cobalt and lithium salts.
| Stage | Facility | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest intake yard | Hyderabad — Zaheerabad Recovery Campus | 581 km |
| Nearest grading bench | Bengaluru — Hosur Diagnostics Centre | 230 km |
| Nearest second-life works | Nagpur — Butibori Second-Life Works | 893 km |
Faster option
Inside the Nissan Leaf ZE1 battery
The Nissan Leaf ZE1 (2018) carries a 40 kWh LMO / LMO-NMC Pouch pack with 24 modules at 350 V, weighing roughly 324 kg. Legacy manganese-rich pouch packs common in early two- and three-wheeler fleets across South Asia.
| Service year | SOH | Grade | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 2 | 95.4% | A — BESS ready | USD 1,450 |
| Year 4 | 91.1% | A — BESS ready | USD 1,394 |
| Year 6 | 86.8% | A — BESS ready | USD 1,339 |
| Year 8 | 82.5% | B — Second life | USD 1,223 |
| Year 10 | 78.2% | B — Second life | USD 1,132 |
What the chemistry means here
How it ages
LMO's weak point is manganese dissolution, which speeds up at elevated temperature and damages the anode. Packs that lived in hot climates without active cooling typically fade faster.
Thermal behaviour
Manganese spinel is more thermally stable than nickel-rich cathodes, but blended LMO-NMC pouch cells still vent flammable gas when abused, and older packs may have weaker protection electronics.
Handling LMO Pouch
Collecting a Nissan Leaf ZE1 pack
40 kWh, 24 modules, about 324 kg — this is how the Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu 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
Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu site notes
- Whole packs are not accepted; route them through a grading or integrated campus first and the black mass will follow.
- Black mass must arrive in sealed, labelled bulk bags with an assay report or at least a declared chemistry.
- Deliveries are scheduled against SEZ gate windows, and imported material needs customs paperwork before arrival.
- Moisture above the agreed limit is recorded at the weighbridge and reflected in settlement.
What this pack yields
lithium
2.82 kg
nickel
6.02 kg
cobalt
0.85 kg
manganese
17.59 kg
copper
11.1 kg
aluminium
12.41 kg
Refining-route estimate at 80% SOH. Measured module health on the bench sets the final split.
Rules in India
Battery Waste Management Rules 2022 (BWMR)
Regulator: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards
The refinery is permitted by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, with effluent, air emission and hazardous-chemical conditions typical of acid-leaching plants. As a registered recycler under the Battery Waste Management Rules 2022, it generates the recovery evidence that producers file on the CPCB EPR portal. Its SEZ location adds customs controls on any imported feed or exported product.
Nissan Leaf ZE1 in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu: common questions
Can I drop off a Nissan Leaf ZE1 battery at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu?
Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu is a hydrometallurgical refinery and does not accept whole packs from customers. Book a collection and the pack enters the network at Zaheerabad, Telangana, 581 km away.
What happens to Nissan Leaf ZE1 modules after Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu?
Collected via Zaheerabad, Telangana, then Graded at Hosur, Tamil Nadu, then Second life at Butibori, Maharashtra, then Refining at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. At 80% SOH roughly 47% of the pack goes to second life and the rest is refined.
How should a Nissan Leaf ZE1 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 Nissan Leaf ZE1 recycling in India?
Battery Waste Management Rules 2022 (BWMR), overseen by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards. Retired packs move as hazardous goods by road under central motor vehicle rules, and export needs Basel-compliant permissions.
Cities collected by Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu
Nissan Leaf ZE1 at other sites
Other passenger packs at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu
Retiring Nissan Leaf ZE1 packs near Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu?
Share pack counts and condition. The despatch desk confirms a collection window within one working day and sends the right packaging.