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New Energy World
New Energy World embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low carbon technologies.
Mercedes-Benz opens recycling factory to close the battery loop
30/10/2024
News
Mercedes-Benz has opened Europe’s first battery recycling plant using an integrated mechanical-hydrometallurgical process. It is thought to be the first car manufacturer worldwide to close the battery recycling loop – albeit of only a fraction of its annual production – with its own in-house facility.
The recycling plant in Kuppenheim, southern Germany, is expected to have a recovery rate of more than 96%.
The 2,500 t/y capacity plant will cover all steps from shredding battery modules to drying and processing active battery materials. It will also separate plastics, copper, aluminium and iron.
A downstream hydrometallurgical process is dedicated to the so-called black mass – the active materials that make up the electrodes of the battery cells. Cobalt, nickel and lithium are extracted individually in a multi-stage chemical process. These recyclates are of battery quality and suitable for use in the production of new battery cells.
Mercedes-Benz says the recovered materials will feed into the production of more than 50,000 battery modules for new all-electric vehicle models.
Over all of 2023, the brand reported selling 240,000 battery electric vehicles, up by 60% compared with 2022.
Mercedes-Benz’s technology partner for the battery recycling factory is Primobius, a joint venture between German plant and mechanical engineering company SMS group and Australian process technology developer Neometals.
The plant is receiving funding from the German federal government as part of a scientific research project with three German universities.
