Switch Mobility EiV 12 City Bus battery recycling in Birmingham, England
Birmingham, England is a diagnostics site: Switch Mobility EiV 12 City Bus packs arrive here from intake yards for module-level capacity, resistance and impedance testing, which decides reuse or refining.
Pack value at 80% SOH
11,209 USD
Hybrid Split
Second-life share
56%
At 80% SOH
Site capacity
16,000 TPA
Cell Grading & Diagnostics
Cities served
3
From Birmingham, England
Where a Switch Mobility EiV 12 City Bus pack goes from Birmingham, England
- 1
Collected via Toronto, Ontario
Whole packs enter the network at Toronto — Ontario Recovery Campus, 5,558 km away, where they are weighed and de-energised.
- 2
Module grading at Birmingham, England
All 24 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 56% of the pack qualifies for reuse and goes to Zwickau — Saxony Second-Life Works (1,011 km). Excellent — long calendar life makes LFP the preferred feedstock for stationary BESS repurposing.
- 4
Refined at Rotterdam, South Holland
Remaining modules are shredded to black mass and refined at Rotterdam — Maasvlakte Refining Works, 439 km away.
| Stage | Facility | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest intake yard | Toronto — Ontario Recovery Campus | 5,558 km |
| Nearest second-life works | Zwickau — Saxony Second-Life Works | 1,011 km |
| Nearest refinery | Rotterdam — Maasvlakte Refining Works | 439 km |
Faster option
Inside the Switch Mobility EiV 12 City Bus battery
The Switch Mobility EiV 12 City Bus (2022) carries a 350 kWh LFP Prismatic (LiFePO4) pack with 24 modules at 640 V, weighing roughly 2590 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 | 96.4% | A — BESS ready | USD 18,397 |
| Year 4 | 93.3% | A — BESS ready | USD 17,818 |
| Year 6 | 90.2% | A — BESS ready | USD 17,239 |
| Year 8 | 87.1% | A — BESS ready | USD 16,660 |
| Year 10 | 84% | B — Second life | USD 14,356 |
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 Switch Mobility EiV 12 City Bus pack
350 kWh, 24 modules, about 2590 kg — this is how the Birmingham, England 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
Birmingham, England site notes
- Dismantlers should secure packs before collection.
- Fleet operators can book depot pickups.
- Development packs require architecture details.
- Damaged packs need prior declaration.
What this pack yields
lithium
25.96 kg
nickel
0 kg
cobalt
0 kg
manganese
0 kg
copper
78.51 kg
aluminium
93.7 kg
Refining-route estimate at 80% SOH. Measured module health on the bench sets the final split.
Rules in United Kingdom
Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009
Regulator: Environment Agency and devolved regulators, with OPSS on market placement
The works operates under Environment Agency permitting in England and the UK waste batteries regulations, which place producer responsibility obligations on those placing batteries on the market. Transport follows UK dangerous goods rules based on ADR.
Switch Mobility EiV 12 City Bus in Birmingham, England: common questions
Can I drop off a Switch Mobility EiV 12 City Bus battery at Birmingham, England?
Birmingham, England is a cell grading & diagnostics and does not accept whole packs from customers. Book a collection and the pack enters the network at Toronto, Ontario, 5,558 km away.
What happens to Switch Mobility EiV 12 City Bus modules after Birmingham, England?
Collected via Toronto, Ontario, then Module grading at Birmingham, England, then Second life at Zwickau, Saxony, then Refined at Rotterdam, South Holland. At 80% SOH roughly 56% of the pack goes to second life and the rest is refined.
How should a Switch Mobility EiV 12 City 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 Switch Mobility EiV 12 City Bus recycling in United Kingdom?
Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, overseen by Environment Agency and devolved regulators, with OPSS on market placement. Road transport follows ADR through the Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations, and exports need waste shipment approval.
Cities collected by Birmingham, England
Switch Mobility EiV 12 City Bus at other sites
Other bus packs at Birmingham, England
Retiring Switch Mobility EiV 12 City Bus packs near Birmingham, England?
Share pack counts and condition. The despatch desk confirms a collection window within one working day and sends the right packaging.