CarE-Service · Project

Reuse and Remanufacture EV Parts to Cut Costs and Close the Loop

transportPilotedTRL 7

Imagine you lease an electric car, and when parts wear out, the manufacturer doesn't just scrap them — they rebuild batteries, recycle metals, and reuse plastic components to make them as good as new. That's what CarE-Service built: practical technologies and business models that let car companies systematically take back electric vehicle parts, remanufacture them, and offer customers upgrade-based leasing instead of one-time ownership. Think of it like a phone trade-in program, but for entire electric vehicles — keeping materials in circulation and costs down for everyone.

By the numbers

50+

batteries treated for reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling

10+

types of techno-polymer products reproduced

techno-polymer samples produced across product types

consortium partners across the value chain

countries represented in the consortium

industry partners including 5 SMEs

The business problem

What needed solving

Electric vehicle manufacturers and mobility companies face a growing problem: EV components — especially batteries — are expensive to produce and difficult to handle at end of life. Current linear models (make, use, dispose) waste enormous residual value locked in components and materials. Companies need proven processes to systematically recover, remanufacture, and reuse EV parts while building circular business models that customers actually want.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered demonstrated remanufacturing processes for three EV component categories: batteries (50+ units processed for solar, medical, and recycling applications), techno-polymer parts (10+ product types, ~60 samples), and metal components (brake disk covers from dismantled roofs, structural element remolding). They also piloted new mobility-as-a-service business models through real commercial sales channels and developed Smart Movable Modules for disassembly, inspection, and certification.

Audience

Who needs this

EV manufacturers building circular supply chainsBattery recycling and second-life storage companiesAutomotive parts remanufacturersMobility-as-a-service and fleet leasing operatorsAutomotive dismantlers and end-of-life vehicle processors

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive OEMs and EV Manufacturers

enterprise

Target: Electric vehicle manufacturers or traditional OEMs transitioning to electric fleets

If you are an EV manufacturer struggling with high production costs and end-of-life vehicle waste — this project demonstrated remanufacturing and reuse technologies across batteries, metals, and techno-polymers. They treated more than 50 batteries for reuse in applications like solar panels and medical equipment, and reproduced at least 10 types of techno-polymer products with about 60 samples. These proven processes can feed directly into your circular supply chain.

Battery Recycling and Second-Life Energy Storage

any

Target: Companies specializing in battery repurposing, recycling, or second-life energy storage systems

If you are a battery recycling firm looking for proven reuse and remanufacturing methods — this project demonstrated solutions by processing more than 50 batteries for different second-life applications including solar panels, medical equipment, and materials recycling. The consortium of 17 partners across 7 countries validated these processes at demonstration scale, giving you ready-to-adopt technical procedures.

Mobility-as-a-Service and Vehicle Leasing

mid-size

Target: Car leasing companies, shared mobility operators, or fleet management firms

If you are a mobility service provider looking for new revenue models beyond simple car rental — this project demonstrated new customer mobility services and business models through real market offerings via commercial sales channels, including dedicated marketing actions in train stations. The pay-per-use and leasing-with-upgrade models they tested could transform your fleet economics by retaining residual component value.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement these remanufacturing processes?

The project's EU contribution is not available in the dataset, so specific cost benchmarks cannot be quoted. However, the core value proposition is cost savings through remanufacturing and reuse rather than virgin production. With 10 industry partners involved, the processes were designed for commercial viability from the start.

Can these solutions work at industrial scale?

The project ran 5 dedicated demonstration activities at near-industrial scale: more than 50 batteries were processed, at least 10 types of techno-polymer products were reproduced with about 60 samples, and metal reuse solutions produced brake disk covers from dismantled car roofs. As an Innovation Action with 17 partners, it was designed to prove scale readiness.

What about intellectual property and licensing?

The consortium includes 10 industry partners and 4 research organizations across 7 countries. IP generated during the project would be governed by the Horizon 2020 grant agreement. Companies interested in licensing specific technologies should contact the coordinator (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy) through official channels.

Does this comply with EU circular economy regulations?

The project directly addressed the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, funded under the CIRC-01-2016-2017 topic. The reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling processes demonstrated were designed to meet evolving EU end-of-life vehicle and waste regulations, making them well-positioned for compliance.

How long would integration take for an existing production line?

The project ran from June 2018 to November 2021, spanning 3.5 years of development and demonstration. Smart Movable Modules were demonstrated through real implementation of disassembly, inspection, and testing/certification processes — suggesting modular integration is possible for existing facilities.

Which specific EV components can be remanufactured?

Based on the deliverables, the project demonstrated reuse and remanufacturing for three major component categories: batteries (more than 50 units processed), techno-polymer parts (at least 10 product types, about 60 samples), and metal components including brake disk covers produced from dismantled car roofs and structural elements remodeled through flexible joining techniques.

Consortium

Who built it

The CarE-Service consortium is heavily industry-oriented, with 10 out of 17 partners (59%) coming from industry, including 5 SMEs — a strong signal that results were designed for commercial adoption, not just academic publication. The 7-country spread across Western Europe (Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden) covers the continent's major automotive markets. Coordinated by Italy's National Research Council (CNR), the project balanced 4 research organizations providing technical depth with the industry majority driving practical implementation. For a business looking to adopt these technologies, this consortium structure means the solutions have already been stress-tested by companies with real market pressures.

CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHECoordinator · IT
LINKOPINGS UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
ENVIROBAT ESPANA SLparticipant · ES
AVICENNE DEVELOPPEMENTparticipant · FR
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICASparticipant · ES
HAIKI COBAT SPA SOCIETA BENEFITparticipant · IT
CIRCULAR ECONOMY SOLUTIONS GMBHparticipant · DE
STELLANTIS EUROPE SPAparticipant · IT
IMA MATERIALFORSCHUNG UND ANWENDUNGSTECHNIK GMBHparticipant · DE
JRC -JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE- EUROPEAN COMMISSIONparticipant · BE

How to reach the team

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy — contact through CORDIS or project website

Order a report on this consortium See CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the CarE-Service team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right partner for your specific remanufacturing or circular mobility challenge.

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