BMW and Redwood Materials Team Up to Recycle EV Batteries

While most people have gotten over the early concerns about EV ownership, like range, charging, and driving experience, one significant question doesn’t have an airtight answer: What happens to EV batteries when the vehicle is ready for the scrap heap? A handful of companies have sprung up to address that issue, and BMW recently partnered with one of the most well-known entities in the space.

BMW and Redwood Materials will partner to recycle batteries from all of the automaker’s electrified vehicles, including hybrids, EVs, mild-hybrids, and plug-in hybrids. The deal will cover BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce vehicles.

Redwood will intake used batteries at its facility in Nevada and eventually at its new location in South Carolina. The pair haven’t disclosed which materials would be recycled or how the process would work, but other such efforts have involved processing the anode and cathode materials from batteries. Redwood recycles those components into materials that can be reused in new battery production. The company says that between 95 and 98 percent of the recycled materials are returned to the supply chain.

BMW plans to expand its U.S. EV lineup with six domestically produced models by 2030. The automaker sells six EVs here now, such as the iX and i4. Redwood said BMW is a “pioneer in electrification,” and its new facility in South Carolina is relatively close to the automaker’s Spartanburg facility, which could help the pair transport and recycle battery materials more efficiently.

[Images: BMW]

Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.