Two Sessions Explainer: What is China doing with retired electric car batteries?

China has ranked first globally in new energy vehicle (NEV) production and sales for 11 consecutive years. As the earliest batch of NEVs passes the 8-year warranty period, their core component, power batteries, is facing a wave of retirement. Are these heavy used batteries an unwanted burden, or a "green mine" ready for trade-ins and recycling?

At this year's "two sessions," China's highly anticipated draft environmental code was submitted to the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress for deliberation. Once adopted, it will become China's second formal statutory code, following the Civil Code.

Its provisions on pollution prevention and control, and green and low-carbon development both cover the recycling of retired power batteries.

How can retired batteries be recycled and turned into wealth? With this question in mind, People's Daily Online reporters spoke with deputies to the National People's Congress and members of the CPPCC National Committee.