Ola Electric S1 X+ battery recycling in Haldia, West Bengal
Haldia, West Bengal does not take whole packs. It receives black mass made from Ola Electric S1 X+ modules that failed grading, and turns it into battery-grade salts.
Pack value at 80% SOH
112 USD
Hybrid Split
Second-life share
56%
At 80% SOH
Site capacity
15,000 TPA
Hydrometallurgical Refinery
Cities served
0
From Haldia, West Bengal
Where a Ola Electric S1 X+ pack goes from Haldia, West Bengal
- 1
Collected via Khordha, Odisha
Whole packs enter the network at Bhubaneswar — Khordha Collection Yard, 331 km away, where they are weighed and de-energised.
- 2
Graded at Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh
Modules travel 1,279 km to Indore — Pithampur Grading Plant for capacity, resistance and impedance testing across all 2 modules.
- 3
Second life at Butibori, Maharashtra
At 80% SOH about 56% of the pack qualifies for reuse and goes to Nagpur — Butibori Second-Life Works (956 km). Excellent — long calendar life makes LFP the preferred feedstock for stationary BESS repurposing.
- 4
Refining at Haldia, West Bengal
Black mass from failed modules is leached and refined here into battery-grade lithium salts.
| Stage | Facility | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest intake yard | Bhubaneswar — Khordha Collection Yard | 331 km |
| Nearest grading bench | Indore — Pithampur Grading Plant | 1,279 km |
| Nearest second-life works | Nagpur — Butibori Second-Life Works | 956 km |
Faster option
Inside the Ola Electric S1 X+ battery
The Ola Electric S1 X+ (2024) carries a 3.5 kWh LFP Prismatic (LiFePO4) pack with 2 modules at 48 V, weighing roughly 26 kg. Cobalt-free prismatic chemistry dominant in Indian passenger EVs and commercial fleets. Low black mass value, exceptional second-life economics.
| Service year | SOH | Grade | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 2 | 96.3% | A — BESS ready | USD 184 |
| Year 4 | 93.2% | A — BESS ready | USD 178 |
| Year 6 | 90.1% | A — BESS ready | USD 172 |
| Year 8 | 87% | A — BESS ready | USD 166 |
| Year 10 | 83.9% | B — Second life | USD 143 |
What the chemistry means here
How it ages
LFP fades slowly and fairly linearly for most of its life. Capacity loss is driven mainly by lithium inventory being locked up in the SEI layer on the graphite anode, while the cathode structure stays largely intact.
Thermal behaviour
LFP's olivine cathode holds its oxygen tightly, so thermal runaway typically starts at higher temperatures than nickel-rich cells and releases noticeably less heat. It is not inert: a failing LFP cell still vents flammable electrolyte vapour and hydrogen, and large prismatic cans store a lot of energy in one place.
Handling LFP Prismatic
Collecting a Ola Electric S1 X+ pack
3.5 kWh, 2 modules, about 26 kg — this is how the Haldia, West Bengal 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
Haldia, West Bengal site notes
- Whole packs are not accepted; send them to a collection or grading site first.
- Black mass must arrive in sealed, labelled bulk bags with declared chemistry.
- Port-linked deliveries need documents lodged before arrival.
- Settlement is based on sampling and assay carried out at intake.
What this pack yields
lithium
0.26 kg
nickel
0 kg
cobalt
0 kg
manganese
0 kg
copper
0.79 kg
aluminium
0.94 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 works operates under West Bengal Pollution Control Board consent, with conditions on effluent treatment, air emissions and hazardous chemical storage. As a registered recycler it generates recovery evidence under the Battery Waste Management Rules 2022, and port shipments follow customs and applicable waste-shipment controls.
Ola Electric S1 X+ in Haldia, West Bengal: common questions
Can I drop off a Ola Electric S1 X+ battery at Haldia, West Bengal?
Haldia, West Bengal is a hydrometallurgical refinery and does not accept whole packs from customers. Book a collection and the pack enters the network at Khordha, Odisha, 331 km away.
What happens to Ola Electric S1 X+ modules after Haldia, West Bengal?
Collected via Khordha, Odisha, then Graded at Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, then Second life at Butibori, Maharashtra, then Refining at Haldia, West Bengal. At 80% SOH roughly 56% of the pack goes to second life and the rest is refined.
How should a Ola Electric S1 X+ 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 Ola Electric S1 X+ 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.
Ola Electric S1 X+ at other sites
Other two-wheeler packs at Haldia, West Bengal
Retiring Ola Electric S1 X+ packs near Haldia, West Bengal?
Share pack counts and condition. The despatch desk confirms a collection window within one working day and sends the right packaging.