TIER, one of the market leaders for micromobility in Europe, is starting a cooperation with the German start-up Vertical Values that extends the lifespan of batteries. By means of repair and upcycling, lithium batteries can be used longer and are therefore more sustainable in the long term. Mining raw materials to manufacture lithium-ion batteries, such as those used in electric vehicles such as e-scooters and e-bikes, has a major environmental impact. As part of TIER’s commitment to sustainable practices, collaboration with the German Start-up Vertical Values another milestone in avoiding and reducing emissions.
Lithium-ion batteries are particularly suitable for upcycling. As a rule, however, they are only used once: as soon as the electric vehicle no longer achieves the guaranteed range, the battery is replaced, although it still contains 70 to 80 percent of its original charge. The challenge with upcycling is that these batteries are made up of hundreds of lithium-ion battery cells, each aged differently. As with a link chain, the weakest element usually impairs the performance of the entire system.
Vertical Values repairs the defective e-scooter batteries and removes cells from them. Each sampled cell is individually assessed to determine its SoH (State of Health). After a proper check, the individual cells are sorted. Most of these are then recycled and made into new products, thereby extending their lifespan. TIER Mobility GmbH c/o WeWork, www.tier.app
