The average cost of replacing an electric vehicle (EV) battery typically ranges between $5,000 and $15,000, depending on the vehicle model and battery capacity.
Based on a purchase price of $19–131/kWh for retired EVBs, the repurposing cost of second-use batteries including labor, equipment, and other recurring costs was estimated to be $25–49/kWh. According to Liu's study, 29 the price of second-life EVBs for energy storage was $72/kWh, and the price of new EVBs was $232/kWh.
Figure ES-2 shows the overall capital cost for a 4-hour battery system based on those projections, with storage costs of $245/kWh, $326/kWh, and $403/kWh in 2030 and $159/kWh, $226/kWh, and $348/kWh in 2050.
Expect to pay around $1,000 per kWh of capacity (after claiming the 30% tax credit), and much less if you opt for a consumption-only configuration that does not provide backup power. However, battery prices can vary quite a bit based on the installer and the full scope of work.
The key cost categories for batteries are the costs of battery purchase, battery cabinet, and distributing electrical equipment. The results show that the payback period of second-life and new battery energy storage is 15 and 20 years, respectively.
How much does a battery project cost?
Developer premiums and development expenses - depending on the project's attractiveness, these can range from £50k/MW to £100k/MW. Financing and transaction costs - at current interest rates, these can be around 20% of total project costs. 68% of battery project costs range between £400k/MW and £700k/MW.
For example, Steckel and colleagues 82 assumed a second-life battery cost including repurposing cost of $117/kWh while Kamath's team 74 assumed $65/kWh. For new batteries, Steckel and colleagues 82 assumed $151/kWh while Kamath and colleagues 74 assumed $209/kWh.