The OP hit on a very good topic. Currently as we transition from gas powered vehicles and lawn equipment, the product manufacturers have unique designs for their plug in batteries and have no responsibility for battery disposal. Because of the proprietary designs, the consumer has no options for replacement but to pay whatever price the manufacturer charges. No competition to help keep prices reasonable. If seen it first hand after several states began banning to sales of gas powered lawn equipment. The price of replacement lithium rechargeable battery for my mower has doubled since 2020.
In addition, these batteries do not have a core charge so there is no incentive to recycle the batteries and IMHO we will see many of them ending up in landfill sites. We need to contact our state and fed representatives to encourage them to pass legislation requiring a standard battery design to encourage price competition and to require the manufacturers to buy back old lithium batteries.
Spoiler alert, the major push back will not be a standardized design but the required buy back because no one has a solid plan for handling the old batteries that eliminates the risk of fire.
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