Tata Xpres-T EV battery recycling in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu
Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu does not take whole packs. It receives black mass made from Tata Xpres-T EV modules that failed grading, and turns it into battery-grade salts.
Pack value at 80% SOH
689 USD
Hybrid Split
Second-life share
56%
At 80% SOH
Site capacity
32,000 TPA
Hydrometallurgical Refinery
Cities served
10
From Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu
Where a Tata Xpres-T EV 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 8 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 (893 km). Excellent — long calendar life makes LFP the preferred feedstock for stationary BESS repurposing.
- 4
Refining at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu
Black mass from failed modules is leached and refined here into battery-grade 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 Tata Xpres-T EV battery
The Tata Xpres-T EV (2021) carries a 21.5 kWh LFP Prismatic (LiFePO4) pack with 8 modules at 300 V, weighing roughly 159 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 | 96.1% | A — BESS ready | USD 1,127 |
| Year 4 | 93% | A — BESS ready | USD 1,091 |
| Year 6 | 89.9% | A — BESS ready | USD 1,056 |
| Year 8 | 86.8% | A — BESS ready | USD 1,020 |
| Year 10 | 83.7% | B — Second life | USD 867 |
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 Tata Xpres-T EV pack
21.5 kWh, 8 modules, about 159 kg — this is how the Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu team plans the job.
Removal
Large packs are removed at the depot with a forklift-rated battery table and the vehicle isolated under lock-out tag-out.
Packaging
Each pack travels in a rated crate or on a restrained pallet, with coolant drained and ports sealed.
Consolidation
Depot retirements are batched against the fleet replacement schedule so collections line up with vehicle swaps.
Before the truck arrives
- Share telematics SOH history if it is available
- Confirm forklift access and dock height at the depot
- Isolate high-voltage systems under lock-out tag-out
- Declare any pack involved in a collision
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
1.59 kg
nickel
0 kg
cobalt
0 kg
manganese
0 kg
copper
4.82 kg
aluminium
5.76 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.
Tata Xpres-T EV in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu: common questions
Can I drop off a Tata Xpres-T EV 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 Tata Xpres-T EV 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 56% of the pack goes to second life and the rest is refined.
How should a Tata Xpres-T EV pack be prepared for pickup?
Share telematics SOH history if it is available. Confirm forklift access and dock height at the depot. Isolate high-voltage systems under lock-out tag-out. Declare any pack involved in a collision.
Which rules apply to Tata Xpres-T EV 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
Tata Xpres-T EV at other sites
Other commercial fleet packs at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu
Retiring Tata Xpres-T EV 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.