Mercedes-Benz Launches Cutting-Edge Battery Recycling Plant

Mercedes-Benz has reached a significant milestone in the recycling of electric vehicle batteries by opening a new facility in Germany. This plant aims to reshape the sustainability landscape in Europe as the demand for critical metals rises with the growth of electric vehicles.

Mercedes Launches Battery Recycling Facility in Germany

German automaker Mercedes-Benz has inaugurated an electric vehicle battery recycling plant in Kuppenheim, southern Germany. This facility boasts a capacity to process 2,500 tons of batteries annually, enabling the production of over 50,000 new batteries for the brand’s fully electric models. The investment, backed by government funds, is part of a strategy to enhance the sustainability of raw materials. This move addresses the growing demand for metals such as cobalt, lithium, and nickel, which are essential for battery production.

A Strategic Challenge for Europe

The European Union still plans (but for how long?) to end the sales of internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035, increasing pressure on automakers to adopt more sustainable solutions. The Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine have underscored Europe’s dependence on foreign raw materials. Battery recycling could be one solution to ensure European sovereignty. Although the electric vehicle market is still nascent, the need for recycling is expected to increase significantly by 2030, experts say.

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Advanced Recycling Technology

The Mercedes facility employs a hydrometallurgical process that can recycle up to 96% of the materials in batteries, outperforming traditional methods such as pyrometallurgy. This less energy-intensive process extracts critical metals like cobalt and lithium to reuse in new batteries. The Kuppenheim plant integrates mechanical shredding and chemical treatment steps, making Mercedes one of the first manufacturers to manage this chain in-house.

Future Outlook for Recycling

While other companies in the industry, such as Volkswagen and Ford, outsource battery recycling, Mercedes-Benz emerges as a pioneer by controlling the entire process. This plant represents a significant step for the European automotive industry, which aims to close the loop on critical materials while reducing its carbon footprint. Mercedes’ project is part of a broader movement, with upcoming European regulations soon imposing a minimum percentage of recycled metals in new batteries.

In France, the recycling of electric vehicle batteries is also evolving, although the country is still in the developmental phase in this field. Several recycling plant projects have been initiated over recent years, but not all have come to fruition. For example, the joint venture project between Stellantis and the French group Orano, announced in 2023, ultimately did not materialize.

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