A new report challenging misconceptions around EV battery failure and making a data-informed case for EV battery repairs is now out.

Published by Autocraft EV Solutions, a specialist in EV battery testing, repair and remanufacturing, the report presents the case for repair over the conventional ‘replace and recycle’ approach.

The Closing the EV Confidence Gap: The Role of Battery Remanufacturing report demonstrates how remanufacturing can play a major role in boosting confidence in EVs and preventing millions of tonnes of avoidable carbon emissions.

Busting myths, Autocraft – which has successfully repaired thousands of in-warranty EV batteries on behalf of major OEMs – says entire EV batteries do not fail; individual cells do.

And the data reveals that, on average, only 1.1 modules needed to be replaced to restore a pack to optimal performance; above 90% of the original state of health.

A repair-over-replace policy also slashes carbon emissions by 93%. For each battery – based on an 82.5kWh pack – that is repaired instead of replacing and recycling it, 12 tonnes of avoidable carbon emissions is prevented

And 92% of modules in a “failed” battery are still suitable for automotive re-use.

Dr Sara Ridley, engineering & quality director of Autocraft Solutions Group, said: “Despite EV battery failure rates being very low, we need a better plan for when they do occur. The assumption that EV batteries need full replacement when a fault occurs is simply not true, given that most batteries can be repaired.”

Ridley also said remanufacturing could help drive consumer confidence in EVs.

“The mere possibility of battery failure undermines the perception of EVs, with many people unwilling to entertain the risk. Our goal is to change this narrative, giving buyers confidence that their EV batteries can be efficiently repaired rather than replaced at great expense or worse, prematurely scrapped.”

But the research also highlights three urgent industry-wide changes to instil confidence in EVs and accelerate mass adoption.

These include making battery repair the standard industry practice. For in-warranty battery failures, this could achieve substantial environmental and cost savings for carmakers. And Autocraft says beyond the warranty period, the availability of reliable repair solutions eliminates much of the perceived risk of EV ownership, improving the market as a whole.

The firm has also called for an end to premature recycling of healthy battery components. While end-of-life recycling is necessary, the priority should be to reuse functional cells and modules whenever possible. Given the potential risk of future shortages of components which are integral to a sustainable repair process, this becomes all the more critical.

Finally, Autocraft wants the industry to design EV batteries for repairability. It says manufacturers and legislators must work together to ensure future battery designs allow for effective repairs, rather than making remanufacturing more difficult through increasingly complex architectures.

“While battery repair is far from simple, our Revive remanufacturing capability means it can be done safely, reliably and at scale. As EV adoption grows, consumer confidence in battery longevity and repairability will be crucial to sustaining momentum. By making battery repair an industry norm, we can help drive a stronger EV market,” explained Dr Ridley.

The full report – which is based on a sample group of 559 commercial repairs carried out in 2024 – is online here.