What is inside the Tata Ace EV battery pack
The Tata Ace EV carries a 21.3 kWh pack built from LFP Prismatic (LiFePO4) cells arranged in 8 serviceable modules at a nominal 300 V. Pack mass lands near 158 kg including the enclosure, cooling plate, contactors and BMS harness.
Because the cells are LFP Prismatic, the recoverable value profile is dominated by lithium, copper and aluminium rather than nickel and cobalt. That decides whether a retired pack is worth repurposing, refining, or both.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | LFP Prismatic (LiFePO4) |
| Cell format | Prismatic hard case |
| Energy / voltage | 21.3 kWh · 300 V |
| Modules | 8 |
| Estimated pack mass | 158 kg |
| On sale since | 2022 (India) |
Step 1 — Removing and shipping a commercial fleet pack
Large packs are removed at the depot with a forklift-rated battery table and the vehicle isolated under lock-out tag-out. Retired packs are UN 3480 or UN 3481 dangerous goods, so the pack must be below 30% state of charge and any deformation, swelling or thermal history declared before pickup.
Each pack travels in a rated crate or on a restrained pallet, with coolant drained and ports sealed. Depot retirements are batched against the fleet replacement schedule so collections line up with vehicle swaps.
- 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
Step 2 — Module-level state of health grading
Each of the 8 modules is tested independently — a whole-pack SOH figure hides the spread that decides second-life eligibility. We run a full capacity cycle, DC internal resistance measurement and impedance spectroscopy.
Our degradation model for the Tata Ace EV shows how value falls with age. Measured results replace these estimates once the pack is on the bench.
| Service year | Modelled SOH | Grade | Residual value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 2 | 95.6% | A — BESS ready | USD 1,111 |
| Year 4 | 92.5% | A — BESS ready | USD 1,075 |
| Year 6 | 89.4% | A — BESS ready | USD 1,040 |
| Year 8 | 86.3% | A — BESS ready | USD 994 |
| Year 10 | 83.2% | B — Second life | USD 834 |
Step 3 — What you actually recover
For modules routed to refining, a pack of this size and chemistry typically yields about 3.6 kg lithium, 0.0 kg nickel, 0.0 kg cobalt and 10.7 kg copper.
At 80% SOH our model sends about 56% of the pack to second life, worth USD 549, and credits USD 133 for the remainder as black mass. Avoided emissions come to roughly 953 kg CO2.
Field note
Step 4 — Where to send it and what paperwork you get
Tata Ace EV packs are received directly at 8 intake sites in its markets, including Chakan, Maharashtra, Sanand, Gujarat, Taloja, Maharashtra, Narela, Delhi. From there, modules move to the nearest grading bench and refinery.
Every consignment closes with a certificate showing quantity processed, recovery percentages achieved and downstream vendor disclosure, in the form needed for CPCB EPR filings under the Battery Waste Management Rules 2022. Fleets retiring several Tata Ace EV units should book one consolidated pickup to cut per-pack cost.