Toyota Motor North America is the newest automaker to collaborate with battery recycling firm Redwood Supplies as it really works to supply a extra sustainable battery provide chain for its electrical automobile push.
The transfer comes as Toyota is turning into one of many first automotive producers to build up end-of-life batteries. The corporate’s Prius, courting to 1997, was the primary mass-market gasoline-electric hybrid automobile, and its batteries are among the many first to achieve recycling age en masse.
Redwood Supplies, based by former Tesla Chief Technology Officer JB Straubel, goals to interrupt down end-of-life batteries and use their supplies in new ones. Ford, Volvo and Tesla have already struck offers with the corporate.
“Toyota helped pave the way in which for clear transportation with the introduction of the Toyota Prius greater than 20 years in the past. Their dedication not solely to promote hundreds of thousands of electrified autos this decade however to make sure their circularity into the long run is a vital step for electrification,” Straubel stated in a press launch final week.
Making a “round ecosystem” for Toyota’s batteries is the long-term aim of the collaboration. This may contain Redwood Supplies breaking down Toyota’s batteries and sending their supplies again to the corporate’s North American vegetation to be manufactured into new batteries.
This might alleviate some of the supply chain disruptions the trade has been going through, along with reducing out environmentally dangerous harvesting practices for “virgin” supplies akin to lithium, cobalt and different metals.
Alexis Georgeson, vp of communications and authorities relations for Redwood Supplies, stated the recycling of car batteries is essential for the sustainability of the EV trade on the continent.
“Localizing and onshoring that is actually vital to have the ability to drive up electrification on this nation, and we’re seeing increasingly more automakers which might be recognizing that,” Georgeson stated. “Each on recycling in addition to on sourcing the battery supplies extra domestically that go into their cell manufacturing.”
Nonetheless, recycled supplies won’t be going into Toyota’s EV batteries within the close to future.
Matthew Stich, normal supervisor overseeing Toyota’s Battery Lifecycle Options workforce, stated this collaboration will contain amassing, testing and recycling Toyota’s hybrid electrical automobile batteries.
He did counsel the potential of materials remanufacturing, knowledge administration and battery well being screening sooner or later.