Robotic disassembly of electric vehicle batteries: Technologies and opportunities

Abstract

• The uncertainty of EV batteries challenges robotic automation. • There is a pressing need for smart robotic disassembly for EV batteries. • A large number of potential robotic technologies that could be applied to EV battery disassembly were mentioned. The demand for electric vehicle (EV) battery services, such as repair, remanufacturing, and recycling, is rising as more EVs enter the market. Disassembly is an essential step in these services, but it is usually done manually, which is slow and costly. Therefore, robots have been proposed to disassemble batteries. This work provides an extensive overview of existing technologies in EV battery disassembly and potential robotics. The technologies investigated in this paper focus on how robots can enhance automation and flexibility. This paper summarises the characteristics and applicability of the potential technologies and highlights promising research directions to stimulate further exploration by researchers.