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Éric Descarries
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99% recycled batteries?
Éric Descarries
Hits: 568
All indications suggest that electric car batteries could soon be 99% recyclable. At least, that is what the German publication Angewandte Chemie reports, having recently published a study revealing the possibility of recovering 99% of the lithium in a battery, as well as 97% of the nickel, 92% of the cobalt, and 91% of the manganese — all while eliminating unwanted chemicals. Laboratory tests also showed that the process would take only about fifteen minutes.
However, transitioning from the lab to industrial application does not necessarily guarantee universal capability. In the case of Toyota, according to the publication Green Car Reports, the car manufacturer signed an agreement in 2022 with Redwood Materials, a company founded by JB Straubel (formerly of Tesla), to recycle batteries and reuse those materials in order to avoid purchasing new raw materials, which are often more expensive.
Since then, other manufacturers such as BMW, Ford, and Volkswagen-Audi have also secured the services of Redwood. As the process is not yet fully operational, experts estimate that it will not be used on a global scale before 2030.
(Photo Volkswagen)
Éric Descarries
