Switch Mobility EiV 22 Intercity battery recycling in Lyon, France
Lyon, France does not take whole packs. It receives black mass made from Switch Mobility EiV 22 Intercity modules that failed grading, and turns it into battery-grade salts.
Pack value at 80% SOH
12,811 USD
Hybrid Split
Second-life share
56%
At 80% SOH
Site capacity
23,000 TPA
Hydrometallurgical Refinery
Cities served
3
From Lyon, France
Where a Switch Mobility EiV 22 Intercity pack goes from Lyon, France
- 1
Collected via Dubai, UAE
Whole packs enter the network at Dubai — Jebel Ali Logistics Yard, 5,003 km away, where they are weighed and de-energised.
- 2
Graded at Stuttgart, Germany
Modules travel 469 km to Stuttgart — Baden-Wurttemberg Grading Works for capacity, resistance and impedance testing across all 28 modules.
- 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 (790 km). Excellent — long calendar life makes LFP the preferred feedstock for stationary BESS repurposing.
- 4
Refining at Lyon, France
Black mass from failed modules is leached and refined here into battery-grade lithium salts.
| Stage | Facility | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest intake yard | Dubai — Jebel Ali Logistics Yard | 5,003 km |
| Nearest grading bench | Stuttgart — Baden-Wurttemberg Grading Works | 469 km |
| Nearest second-life works | Zwickau — Saxony Second-Life Works | 790 km |
Faster option
Inside the Switch Mobility EiV 22 Intercity battery
The Switch Mobility EiV 22 Intercity (2023) carries a 400 kWh LFP Prismatic (LiFePO4) pack with 28 modules at 640 V, weighing roughly 2960 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 | 95.7% | A — BESS ready | USD 20,876 |
| Year 4 | 92.6% | A — BESS ready | USD 20,214 |
| Year 6 | 89.5% | A — BESS ready | USD 19,553 |
| Year 8 | 86.4% | A — BESS ready | USD 18,763 |
| Year 10 | 83.3% | B — Second life | USD 15,748 |
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 22 Intercity pack
400 kWh, 28 modules, about 2960 kg — this is how the Lyon, France 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
Lyon, France site notes
- Only black mass and scrap are accepted.
- Cross-border shipments need prior documentation.
- Bulk bags must be sealed and labelled.
- Settlement follows assay at intake.
What this pack yields
lithium
29.67 kg
nickel
0 kg
cobalt
0 kg
manganese
0 kg
copper
89.72 kg
aluminium
107.09 kg
Refining-route estimate at 80% SOH. Measured module health on the bench sets the final split.
Rules in France
EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and the French EPR (REP) system
Regulator: Ministry for Ecological Transition, with ADEME overseeing producer responsibility schemes
The refinery operates under French permitting for classified installations (ICPE) and the EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542. Waste shipments follow the EU Waste Shipment Regulation.
Switch Mobility EiV 22 Intercity in Lyon, France: common questions
Can I drop off a Switch Mobility EiV 22 Intercity battery at Lyon, France?
Lyon, France is a hydrometallurgical refinery and does not accept whole packs from customers. Book a collection and the pack enters the network at Dubai, UAE, 5,003 km away.
What happens to Switch Mobility EiV 22 Intercity modules after Lyon, France?
Collected via Dubai, UAE, then Graded at Stuttgart, Germany, then Second life at Zwickau, Saxony, then Refining at Lyon, France. At 80% SOH roughly 56% of the pack goes to second life and the rest is refined.
How should a Switch Mobility EiV 22 Intercity 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 22 Intercity recycling in France?
EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and the French EPR (REP) system, overseen by Ministry for Ecological Transition, with ADEME overseeing producer responsibility schemes. Road transport follows ADR, and cross-border shipments follow the EU Waste Shipment Regulation.
Cities collected by Lyon, France
Switch Mobility EiV 22 Intercity at other sites
Other bus packs at Lyon, France
Retiring Switch Mobility EiV 22 Intercity packs near Lyon, France?
Share pack counts and condition. The despatch desk confirms a collection window within one working day and sends the right packaging.