Salvaging used EV battery packs — which ones are actually worth buying

I've bought and torn apart 11 used EV packs over the past four years. Here's my honest assessment of which salvage packs are worth your time and money, and which ones will disappoint you.

Chevy Volt Gen 1 (2011–2015): C+
Pros: well-built, excellent thermal management, cells are accessible and individually testable. Cons: complex architecture (T-shaped pack, liquid cooling requires careful plumbing), NMC chemistry with modest cycle life, older cells. Pricing has risen significantly — what used to go for $200–400 now realistically floors at $800 for a local pull, with most packs listed in the $1,500–$3,000 range as salvage EV battery demand has grown. Still a viable choice for small stationary projects if you find a fair deal.

Chevy Volt Gen 2 (2016–2019): A
One of the best all-around salvage packs available. 18.4kWh total capacity (usable is approximately 14.1–14.3kWh — important distinction when sizing a stationary system). Excellent cell quality (LG Chem NMC), active liquid cooling, well-documented BMS communication over CAN. I've tested modules at 90%+ of original capacity at 60k miles. The module form factor is reusable directly as a building block. One pricing reality check: the $500–900 junkyard figure is several years out of date. Current market for a functional low-mileage Gen 2 pack is more realistically $2,500–$6,000 depending on source and condition. Still worth it at the right price, but budget accordingly.

Chevy Bolt EV (2017–2023): A
This is the gap in the original version of this list. The Bolt's 60–66kWh LG Chem NMC/NCMA pack is one of the most sought-after salvage packs in the community right now. Active liquid cooling, clean large-format modules, and the GM recall replacement wave left a significant supply of known-good packs in the system. Architecture is well-documented. Community-reported prices have historically ranged from $1,300–$4,500 depending on mileage and documentation, though the recall-replacement supply wave has affected availability and pricing in ways that fluctuate — verify current market pricing before budgeting. If you're building stationary storage and want serious capacity, this is the pack to watch.

BMW i3 (22kWh / 33kWh / 42.2kWh gross): B+
Another pack the community rates highly that this list originally missed. Samsung SDI NMC prismatic cells (not pouch — a common misstatement), active liquid cooling, clean module format, and an unusually strong DIY ecosystem (the Battery-Emulator project on GitHub has full i3 BMS documentation). Capacity clarification: the three generations are approximately 22 kWh gross (2014–2016, 60Ah cells), 33 kWh gross / 27.2 kWh usable (2017–2018, 94Ah cells), and 42.2 kWh gross / 37.9 kWh usable (2019+, 120Ah cells). The "27.2 kWh" figure you'll see quoted for mid-gen packs is the usable figure, not gross — worth knowing when sizing. BMW used second-life i3 packs in their own commercial home storage product, which tells you something about second-life viability. Used 22kWh packs have been seen at $1,300–$3,000. Worth considering for mid-size stationary builds.

Nissan Leaf (2011–2017): D
I'm going to be blunt: avoid early Leafs. The 24kWh and 30kWh packs are air-cooled (criminal) and the cells degrade fast in warm climates. I've pulled 2015 Leaf packs that tested at 65% capacity. The 40kWh (2018+) packs are better and use a different cell chemistry, but are getting expensive on the salvage market.

Nissan Leaf (2019+, 62kWh): B
The 62kWh e+ pack has better cells than the 24kWh/30kWh generation, but I need to correct something: the claim of "much better thermal design" is not accurate. It is still passive air-cooled — Nissan changed nothing structural in the thermal architecture from the earlier models. Real-world testing of the 62kWh e+ confirmed the same "Rapidgate" DC fast-charge throttling behavior as the 40kWh pack. The NMC cells are a somewhat improved formulation and the raw capacity is obviously much higher, but don't buy this pack expecting a thermal management upgrade — it isn't there. For stationary storage where charge rate doesn't matter, this is less of an issue. For an EV conversion where you want to DC fast charge, it matters. Watch the pricing on these; they're being snapped up.

Tesla Model S 85kWh (2012–2016): B
Incredible energy density and a beautifully engineered pack — but two common claims about it need correcting. First, the cell count: the pack contains 7,104 Panasonic 18650 cells across 16 modules of 444 cells each (6S74P per module, 16 modules in series). The "444 cells" figure you sometimes see describes a single module, not the full pack. Second, the chemistry: these are NCA (Nickel-Cobalt-Aluminum), not NMC — an important distinction for charge curve and handling requirements. The problems: expensive (salvage prices on intact 85kWh packs have historically been well above the figures you'll see quoted in older guides — expect $5,000–$10,000+ for complete good-condition packs in today's market; the $2–4K figures circulating online date to 2017–2019), BMS is proprietary and requires a Tesla or dedicated aftermarket interface, and the older 18650 cells are showing age. For a high-power application where you know what you're doing with CAN bus, these are fantastic. For a beginner: skip it.

Tesla Model 3 Standard Range (LFP): A+
One of the emerging favorites in the community and the hype is largely deserved. CATL LFP cells, and these packs are starting to appear on the salvage market as 2021–2022 builds reach wreck auctions. Capacity note: the earliest CATL LFP variant for the US market (2021, sometimes called BTF0) is approximately 55kWh gross — the "54kWh" figure sometimes cited is slightly off. The 2022+ version is 60kWh. The cells themselves test remarkably well. One nuance on "well-documented BMS": the CAN decodes exist (see EVengineer's reply) but the communication protocol is ISO-SPI, which is more complex than standard CAN — not a plug-and-play situation. If you can find one for under $3,000, it's worth serious consideration.

What packs have you been working with? Anyone have experience with the newer Chinese EV packs (BYD Blade, Wuling cells)?