Investigating the Circularity Potential of Electric Vehicle Motors for Microgrid Applications in Sub-Saharan African

The adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is surging globally as more EV units are bought year on year. As many EVs reach their end of life (EoL), there is a high probability that traction EV motors are still in working condition. Therefore, in this paper, the technical considerations around the repurposing of EoL EV motors for microgrid applications in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are discussed. The circular economy (CE) approach can help reduce the environmental impact of producing EV motors, and it can also enable renewable energy power generation in SSA, all of which closely align with sustainable development goals (SDGs) 7, 12, and 13. Firstly, commonly used motor topologies used in EVs are highlighted and differentiated by their features. Potential second life microgrid applications are outlined with off-grid wind power generation identified as being particularly suitable for the repurposed motors. Applicable electrical setups are discussed, after which electromagnetic performances of three selected EV motors in wind turbine environments are evaluated using finite element analysis (FEA) models. Finally, technical challenges facing the redeployment of these EV motors are discussed with recommendations for effective project implementations.