Toyota Motor North The us is the most recent automaker to collaborate with battery recycling corporation Redwood Resources as it is effective to supply a more sustainable battery offer chain for its electric powered car or truck force.
The shift comes as Toyota is getting 1 of the to start with automotive companies to accumulate close-of-existence batteries. The firm’s Prius, relationship to 1997, was the to start with mass-market gasoline-electric powered hybrid car, and its batteries are among the 1st to achieve recycling age en masse.
Redwood Components, established by former Tesla Main Technologies Officer JB Straubel, aims to split down conclude-of-lifestyle batteries and use their components in new kinds. Ford, Volvo and Tesla have previously struck specials with the organization.
“Toyota helped pave the way for thoroughly clean transportation with the introduction of the Toyota Prius additional than 20 years back. Their determination not only to provide millions of electrified vehicles this ten years but to assure their circularity into the potential is a crucial action for electrification,” Straubel stated in a push launch final 7 days.
Making a “circular ecosystem” for Toyota’s batteries is the prolonged-time period goal of the collaboration. This would entail Redwood Components breaking down Toyota’s batteries and sending their elements back again to the firm’s North American crops to be produced into new batteries.
This could alleviate some of the offer chain disruptions the field has been dealing with, in addition to slicing out environmentally dangerous harvesting techniques for “virgin” components these types of as lithium, cobalt and other metals.
Alexis Georgeson, vice president of communications and federal government relations for Redwood Elements, claimed the recycling of car or truck batteries is crucial for the sustainability of the EV market on the continent.
“Localizing and onshoring this is genuinely significant to be in a position to push up electrification in this country, and we’re viewing far more and much more automakers that are recognizing that,” Georgeson explained. “The two on recycling as properly as on sourcing the battery supplies additional regionally that go into their cell manufacturing.”
Nevertheless, recycled materials will not be likely into Toyota’s EV batteries in the close to upcoming.
Matthew Stich, common supervisor overseeing Toyota’s Battery Lifecycle Answers crew, claimed this collaboration will require gathering, screening and recycling Toyota’s hybrid electric automobile batteries.
He did counsel the chance of materials remanufacturing, data administration and battery well being screening in the future.
