LG Energy Solution Re.Pulse trims EV battery diagnostics to 10 minutes

LG Energy Solution unveiled an artificial intelligence diagnostic software called Re.Pulse on Nov. 10, 2026, cutting the time required to evaluate used electric vehicle batteries from seven hours to under 10 minutes.

The software shortens diagnostic duration by more than 97%, eliminating the traditional requirement to remove battery packs from vehicles for full charge and discharge cycles. The Consumer Technology Association named the system an honoree for the CES 2027 Innovation Awards in advanced mobility.

Re.Pulse works by applying controlled electrical current pulses to a battery and measuring the instantaneous voltage response. A proprietary algorithmic model analyzes those voltage fluctuations to determine the operational health of the energy storage unit.

Conventional testing equipment only measures the average state of health across an entire pack. The new software calculates degradation at the individual cell level, locating specific impaired cell groups within the module array.

Under legacy evaluation protocols, technicians must dismount heavy packs from the vehicle chassis. The pack then undergoes a complete discharge down to baseline voltage, followed by a slow recharge to 100% capacity and a secondary discharge cycle.

That procedure ties up dedicated laboratory test benches for seven to eight hours per battery. The logistical overhead creates severe processing bottlenecks at regional recycling hubs and automobile dismantling facilities.

Cell-level visibility allows technicians to replace or repair localized damaged cells rather than discarding an entire pack assembly. Early pack scrappage contributes to excess mineral consumption and adds unnecessary replacement expenses for fleet operators.

The software operates on existing direct-current fast chargers and standard capacity test benches without dedicated auxiliary hardware. Technicians can complete an inspection while the battery pack remains securely installed in the chassis of an electric vehicle.

Diagnostic outputs sort decommissioned automotive batteries into three distinct circular pathways: secondary life reuse, factory remanufacturing or hydrometallurgical recycling. High-capacity units qualify for stationary energy storage systems, while degraded modules proceed directly to chemical recovery.

The tool unlocks residual economic value from post-service packs by guiding second-life disposition decisions, said Sanghoon Lee, head of the pack and battery management system research service solution department at LG Energy Solution, in a statement accompanying the release.

The recognition marks the second consecutive year the Seoul-based manufacturer received an award for standalone battery software. In November 2025, the association honored the company for Better.Re, an algorithmic service designed to extend active battery life by up to 100%.

Both software platforms build upon data infrastructure created under the B.around brand, which the battery maker introduced in September 2024. That architecture incorporates field performance metrics collected through B-lifecare, an ongoing diagnostic monitoring service for operating vehicles.

The company also introduced B.once, a single-scan assessment service tailored for rapid battery appraisal during ownership transfers. Re.Pulse adapts those analytical foundations to the industrial sorting requirements of post-warranty and decommissioned vehicle fleets.

Decommissioned battery volumes represent a growing logistical bottleneck for automakers and recyclers as first-generation mass-market electric vehicles reach retirement. Manual teardown and bench testing currently limit throughput at regional dismantling facilities to dozens of packs per shift.

Rapid state-of-health sorting directly influences operating margins for recycling facilities that process end-of-life cells. LG Energy Solution operates joint recycling ventures with Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt in China and Toyota Tsusho in the United States to secure secondary metal feedstocks.

Precise cell screening prevents operational fires at shredding facilities by identifying internal short circuits or lithium plating before modules enter mechanical processing lines. The software flags thermally unstable cells that could ignite during mechanical crushing.

Automotive auction houses and certified pre-owned dealerships require reliable state-of-health certification to value secondary vehicles. Standard mechanical checkups take roughly 30 minutes, and a battery assessment running under 10 minutes fits into existing inspection lane schedules.

Financial institutions providing battery leasing and collateral loans also rely on certified degradation metrics to calculate residual asset depreciation. Rapid pulse testing provides an objective data benchmark for underwriting second-life battery leases.

LG Energy Solution will display the Re.Pulse system at the CES 2027 technology trade show in Las Vegas in January 2027. The company plans to deploy interface modules across commercial web and smartphone applications for service networks.

The announcement does not state the pricing structure for the software or disclose commercial contract values with automotive manufacturers. The company has not published initial enterprise licensing fees.

The technology company will deliver formal technical presentations covering pulse-response state-of-health evaluation at industry engineering conferences ahead of broader commercial software distribution next year.