Do consumers want reconditioned electric vehicle batteries? - A discrete choice experiment

Reconditioning electric vehicle (EV) batteries for reuse as spare parts could extend the lifespan of EVs and reduce the environmental impact of battery production. However, this circular option's viability depends on consumer acceptance of reconditioned batteries. This study presents a discrete choice experiment among German residents to address this issue. A mixed logit behavioral model and Hierarchical Bayes estimation are used to evaluate the choice experiment. The experiment was conducted online and surveyed 1152 participants, with 837 providing sufficient data for analysis. The results indicate that there might be acceptance of reconditioned EV batteries as spare parts. A considerable number of respondents opted for this option when presented with the hypothetical choice of replacing a defective battery in their EV with a new or reconditioned spare battery, or scrapping the EV and purchasing a working vehicle. The study finds that the choice is primarily influenced by the expected battery lifetime and the associated costs. Ecological factors play a minimal role and are more of a bonus. The study also reveals that younger respondents and non-EV owners exhibit greater concern regarding the lifetime losses of reconditioned batteries compared to older respondents and EV owners. A self-assessment of the respondents concerning the most and least decisive battery characteristics shows a connection between stated importance of the attributes and the actual choice, but the connection is relatively weak. The results lead to the conclusion that industry and academic institutes should see EV battery reconditioning as an emerging research field that requests solutions for prolonging reconditioned batteries' lifetime while ensuring economical pricing to satisfy the demands of the consumers.