The increasing global shift towards electric vehicles (EVs) has led to a surge in demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which serve as the primary energy storage solution for modern EVs. However, with this growth comes significant challenges related to battery performance, sustainability, and end-of-life (EOL) management. This paper provides a comprehensive review of battery technologies, focusing on advancements in lithium-ion batteries, their degradation mechanisms, and the environmental impact of battery disposal. Additionally, it examines the challenges in EV battery recycling, including safety hazards, disassembly complexities, and economic feasibility. The study explores second-life applications of retired EV batteries in energy storage systems, microgrids, and hybrid renewable energy solutions, emphasizing their potential to extend battery usability while minimizing waste. Furthermore, advanced screening, refurbishment, and material recovery techniques are analyzed to improve resource efficiency and reduce the need for new raw material extraction. By proposing a systematic framework for sustainable battery lifecycle management, this research aims to promote a circular economy, optimize battery reusability, and support the transition towards a cleaner, more sustainable future in electromobility.

The promotion of electric vehicles (EVs) as sustainable energy sources for transportation is advocated due to global considerations such as energy consumption and environmental challenges. The recent incorporation of renewable energy sources into virtual power plants has greatly enhanced the influence of electric vehicles in the transportation industry. Vehicle grid integration offers a practical and economical method to improve energy sustainability, addressing the requirements of consumers on the user side. The effective utilisation of electric vehicles in stationary applications is highlighted by technological breakthroughs in the energy sector. The continuous advancement in science and industry is confirming the growing efficiency of electric vehicles (EVs) as virtual power plants. Nonetheless, a thorough inquiry is imperative to elucidate the principles, integration, and advancement of virtual power plants in conjunction with electric automobiles, specifically targeting academics and researchers in this field. The examination specifically emphasises the energy generation and storage components used in electric vehicles. In addition, it explores several vehicle–grid integration (VGI) configurations, such as single-stage, two-stage, and hybrid-multi-stage systems. This study also considers the various types of grid connections and the factors related to them. This detailed investigation seeks to offer insights into the various facets of incorporating electric vehicles into virtual power plants. It takes into account technology improvements, energy sustainability, and the practical ramifications for users.

In recent years, induction heating applications assisted by electronic power control have been very appealing. For melting applications, induction heating is widely used as it seems to be appropriate and provides higher efficiency, zero pollutants, non-contamination of material, etc. in comparison with conventional heating. The conventional variable frequency control scheme is not sufficient for melting applications because of its high switching loss, low efficiency, and lower heat rate. A superlative control technique is required to control the output power smoothly, for a high heating rate with minimum power loss, and to lower the number of components. In this paper, a capacitorless self-resonating bifilar coil is proposed for induction surface melting applications. The performance of the system in terms of modular losses, heat rate, and efficiency is analyzed for various power methods such as pulse duty cycle control, phase shift control, pulse density modulation control, and asymmetric duty cycle control. An experimental validation is performed for the 1 kW prototype, and the heating rate, efficiency, and modular losses are calculated. The control technique is digitally validated using a PIC16F877A microcontroller with 30 kHz switching frequency. The temperature distribution is analyzed using a FLIR thermal imager. Among the tested methods, pulse density modulation-based control provides smooth and varied power control from 0% to 100% with minimum modular losses. The efficiency of the system is 89% at a rated output power and is greater than 85% for pulse density modulation control with a fast heating rate.

In the emerging automobile fields, head light plays a vital role in the aspect of safety. Only a fraction of total power from the battery should be utilized for its operation. In conventional lighting technologies, head light consumes high power, less efficient and also struggles for the variation of input voltage. This paper proposes a simple modified half bridge converter (MHBC) design for automotive lighting applications. The converter has two switches in which duty cycle of one switch is controlled and other one remains fixed at a particular duty cycle. This reduces the control complexity. In addition, the converter is capable of operating in buck and boost mode which is much essential for source variation. The parasitic state space model of the converter is derived using state averaging technique, which helps in obtaining the realistic operation of the converter. Stability analysis is carried out for the proposed model, which is in line with the practical model. The obtained frequency response curve helps in calculating the stable operating range of the duty cycle. The conduction and switching losses are calculated to get the efficiency of the system. The simulation of the proposed system is performed in PSIM software and a prototype model is realized with 21 W power rating. The performance of the converter is tested under wide input voltage variation (10 to 50 V) for a 30 V/0.7A light‐emitting diode string.