BMW's new EV battery recycling program hopes to reduce harm to the planet by giving electric vehicle batteries new life after they've officially died. This new initiative is being run in partnership with Belgian recycling firm Umicore and Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt. Northvolt is key to this EV recycling program as the company will use the batteries for storage before stripping them of raw materials that can be reused in other products.
BMW has stated this EV battery recycling program is all part of creating a closed life cycle loop for batteries that is eco-friendly from beginning to end. BMW is already using "mostly" renewable energy to create new recyclable cells, which will then have a second life as a "stationary energy storage device."
Image Credit: NICOLAS ASFOURIGetty Images
What's Driving This Trend
- EV Battery Recycling
- BMW is leading a consortium to recycle electric vehicle batteries, creating a closed life cycle loop for batteries that is eco-friendly from beginning to end.
- Raw Material Reuse
- Swedish manufacturer Northvolt is using the batteries for storage before stripping them of raw materials that can be reused in other products.
- Renewable Energy Production
- BMW is using mostly renewable energy to create new recyclable cells.
Who This Affects Most
- Automotive
- The automotive industry can implement more EV battery recycling initiatives to improve their sustainability efforts.
- Electronics
- The electronics industry can explore using raw materials from recycled EV batteries in their product manufacturing.
- Energy Storage
- The energy storage industry can benefit from the recycling of EV batteries to create more sustainable and eco-friendly energy storage solutions.
