BMW To Get Battery Recycling Support From JB Straubel’s Redwood Materials

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Maybe once upon a time, concern about what happened to EV batteries at end of life was legit. However, it was quickly apparent that the vast majority of an old battery could still be useful if recycled, and that those materials are highly valuable. About 95% (or even more) of a battery can be recycled and used again. Them, of course, Tesla cofounder and longtime CTO JB Straubel left Tesla and founded Redwood Materials, focusing 100% on battery recycling.

At this point, imho, no one should ever complain about the sustainability of EV batteries. They will get recycled or reused to a super high percentage and make the lifetime use of the materials decades long.

Anyway, some recent good news on this matter is that BMW has partnered with Redwood Materials for its battery recycling. Yesterday, the companies announced that, in the U.S., all plugin vehicles as well as mild hybrids from BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad vehicles would be recycled by Redwood Materials.

The companies noted that this is a step in the direction of “closed-loop circular value chain for lithium-ion batteries in the U.S.” Indeed — that would be the ultimate goal.

“Redwood Materials will work directly with BMW Group’s extensive network of close to 700 locations across the U.S., including dealerships, distribution centers, and other facilities to recover end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and ensure critical minerals like nickel, cobalt, lithium, and copper are recycled and refined. Ultimately, 95%–98% of these critical minerals will be returned to the battery supply chain to build increasingly sustainable electric vehicles. The materials inside of a battery are nearly infinitely recyclable and are not consumed or lost in their lifetime of usage in the vehicle. Additionally, Redwood’s processes have a significantly smaller environmental impact than conventional mining or other recycling technologies, reducing energy by 80%, CO2 emissions by 70%, and water by 80%.”

Exactly.

Again, JB Straubel demonstrates his visionary foresight and ability to execute at the highest level. When he left Tesla for Redwood Materials, it felt quite early in the EV battery recycling industry. There were so few cars ready to have their batteries recycled. But he set up the organization, started mastering the process, and is now the go-to partner for all of BMW Group and many others. I think it’s safe to say Straubel is a special character in the EV world.

“Redwood Materials currently operates a campus in Reno, Nevada where battery components are recycled, refined, and manufactured. A second Redwood Materials campus is under construction in Charleston, South Carolina, not far from BMW Group Plant Spartanburg and Plant Woodruff, where BMW will assemble at least six fully electric models, and the high-voltage battery packs for those vehicles, before the end of the decade. The company’s battery cell manufacturing partner, AESC is also nearby in Florence, SC,” the news release adds.

“Our partnership with BMW of North America ensures responsible end-of-life battery management that will improve the environmental footprint of lithium-ion batteries, help decrease cost and, in turn, increase access and adoption of electric vehicles,” Cal Lankton, Chief Commercial Officer at Redwood Materials, added.

Yes, yes it will. Kudos to both.