<p>With the rapid development of new energy vehicles, closed-loop recycling of power batteries has become crucial for sustainable development. This study establishes a comprehensive life cycle assessment framework to evaluate the environmental benefits of regenerated batteries through a comparative analysis of regenerated and virgin batteries. The results demonstrate that regenerated lithium ternary batteries achieve over 90% reduction in multiple environmental impact categories, while regenerated lithium iron phosphate batteries show limited advantages in marine eutrophication and fossil resource scarcity. Notably, the synergistic effect between pollutant and carbon reduction is more pronounced in regenerated lithium ternary batteries. Scenario analysis further reveals that integrating clean energy transition with resource optimization can enhance environmental benefits compared to standalone resource optimization approaches. Future research should expand to assess more recycling processes and upstream supply chain impacts for comprehensive environmental evaluation.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>