Photos: UK engineer builds working electric car using 500 recycled disposable vapes

A UK engineer, Chris Doel, has innovatively repurposed around 500 discarded disposable vape lithium cells to create a battery pack that powers a small electric car, a Reva G-Wiz. This compact city car, originally equipped with heavy lead-acid batteries and a modest 17-horsepower motor, was transformed by replacing its original battery with a custom-built pack of recycled vape cells arranged into 14 modules producing roughly 50 volts and about 2.1 kWh of usable energy. Doel’s project highlights the potential for reusing lithium cells from single-use electronics, which often retain significant charge despite being discarded. To safely integrate the vape cell battery, Doel fabricated an aluminum enclosure with insulation and vibration-dampening materials, fitting it into the car’s rear seat area. The design includes a battery management system monitoring voltage, current, and temperature, with individual fuses for each module and safety features to reduce fire risk. The G-Wiz’s simple electrical system was