Olectra K9 Electric Bus battery recycling in Chakan, Maharashtra
Pune — Chakan Industrial Recovery Campus takes whole Olectra K9 Electric Bus packs straight from fleets, dealers and workshops. Packs are weighed, de-energised and logged here before modules move on for grading or refining.
Pack value at 80% SOH
10,377 USD
Hybrid Split
Second-life share
56%
At 80% SOH
Site capacity
24,000 TPA
Integrated Recovery Campus
Cities served
12
From Chakan, Maharashtra
Where a Olectra K9 Electric Bus pack goes from Chakan, Maharashtra
- 1
Intake at Chakan, Maharashtra
Packs travel as individual heavy crates on flatbed or curtain-side trailers with load restraint rated for the mass. Each pack is weighed, photographed and discharged below 30% state of charge.
- 2
Graded at Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh
Modules travel 468 km to Indore — Pithampur Grading Plant for capacity, resistance and impedance testing across all 22 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 (583 km). Excellent — long calendar life makes LFP the preferred feedstock for stationary BESS repurposing.
- 4
Refined at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu
Remaining modules are shredded to black mass and refined at Chennai — Sriperumbudur Recovery Campus, 916 km away.
| Stage | Facility | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest grading bench | Indore — Pithampur Grading Plant | 468 km |
| Nearest second-life works | Nagpur — Butibori Second-Life Works | 583 km |
| Nearest refinery | Chennai — Sriperumbudur Recovery Campus | 916 km |
Inside the Olectra K9 Electric Bus battery
The Olectra K9 Electric Bus (2021) carries a 324 kWh LFP Prismatic (LiFePO4) pack with 22 modules at 620 V, weighing roughly 2398 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 | 95.5% | A — BESS ready | USD 16,875 |
| Year 4 | 92.4% | A — BESS ready | USD 16,339 |
| Year 6 | 89.3% | A — BESS ready | USD 15,803 |
| Year 8 | 86.2% | A — BESS ready | USD 15,034 |
| Year 10 | 83.1% | B — Second life | USD 12,605 |
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 Olectra K9 Electric Bus pack
324 kWh, 22 modules, about 2398 kg — this is how the Chakan, Maharashtra team plans the job.
Removal
Roof- or floor-mounted packs are lifted by crane or gantry with the OEM lifting frame, one string at a time.
Packaging
Packs travel as individual heavy crates on flatbed or curtain-side trailers with load restraint rated for the mass.
Consolidation
Bus packs are collected per depot and per retirement window, usually a full trailer per visit.
Before the truck arrives
- Confirm crane or gantry access and lifting frame availability
- Isolate each pack string and record its voltage
- Share pack-string serials against the bus fleet number
- Plan collection around depot operating hours
Chakan, Maharashtra site notes
- Suppliers inside Chakan MIDC can join a milk-run collection on fixed weekly days instead of booking one-off pickups.
- Segregate production scrap by chemistry and label it by cell format; mixed loads are re-sorted and take longer to settle.
- Car and two-wheeler pallets can be unloaded by forklift; bus and truck packs need advance notice so lifting gear is ready.
- Damaged units go straight to a thermally monitored quarantine store and are processed on a separate schedule.
What this pack yields
lithium
24.03 kg
nickel
0 kg
cobalt
0 kg
manganese
0 kg
copper
72.67 kg
aluminium
86.74 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 campus holds Maharashtra Pollution Control Board consent to operate as a battery waste processor and issues recovery evidence for producers under the CPCB EPR framework set by the Battery Waste Management Rules 2022. Shredding and black mass handling carry additional dust, effluent and fire-safety conditions tied to the MIDC plot, and outgoing black mass travels with assay and custody records.
Olectra K9 Electric Bus in Chakan, Maharashtra: common questions
Can I drop off a Olectra K9 Electric Bus battery at Chakan, Maharashtra?
Yes, by appointment. Pune — Chakan Industrial Recovery Campus accepts whole Olectra K9 Electric Bus packs; book a collection or a drop-off slot so the site can prepare packaging and paperwork.
What happens to Olectra K9 Electric Bus modules after Chakan, Maharashtra?
Intake at Chakan, Maharashtra, then Graded at Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, then Second life at Butibori, Maharashtra, then Refined at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. At 80% SOH roughly 56% of the pack goes to second life and the rest is refined.
How should a Olectra K9 Electric Bus pack be prepared for pickup?
Confirm crane or gantry access and lifting frame availability. Isolate each pack string and record its voltage. Share pack-string serials against the bus fleet number. Plan collection around depot operating hours.
Which rules apply to Olectra K9 Electric Bus 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 Chakan, Maharashtra
Olectra K9 Electric Bus at other sites
Other bus packs at Chakan, Maharashtra
Retiring Olectra K9 Electric Bus packs near Chakan, Maharashtra?
Share pack counts and condition. The despatch desk confirms a collection window within one working day and sends the right packaging.