Insurers may total EVs with damaged batteries, lack of reparability cited

Insurance companies are writing off electric vehicles (EVs) involved in minor accidents due to the difficulty of recycling battery packs in the US, which can render the whole pack unusable if even a tiny amount of damage is sustained. Carmakers including Ford and General Motors are developing battery packs that are easier to repair, replace and reuse, but Tesla and other EV makers are reportedly going in the opposite direction. The inability to reuse these batteries is revealing a hole in the green “circular economy” touted by carmakers, according to Reuters.