Battery recycling specialist Redwood Supplies has simply gained one other main automaker as a consumer, signing a partnership with BMW of North America. Redwood will assist get better and recycle finish of life lithium-ion cells and their uncommon supplies from BMW Group marques like MINI and Rolls-Royce.
At the moment’s newest partnership announcement solely helps solidify Redwood Supplies’ present standing because the trade chief in battery recycling. The corporate, based in 2017 by Tesla co-founder and former CTO JB Straubel, has discovered fast success in making a extra round economic system round lithium-ion batteries and their treasured supplies, akin to cobalt, copper, lithium, and nickel.
Prior to now few years particularly, Redwood has earned the enterprise of a number of main OEMs, together with Ford, Volkswagen Group, and Volvo. In flip, Redwood has recycled these model’s batteries and resold their supplies and parts to firms like Panasonic and Toyota for a brand new life in EVs.
The corporate is kind of good at what it does, too. In 2023, it was touting 95% effectivity in a battery recycling pilot, which helped it garner big authorities loans to construct reborn EV batteries and an enormous firm valuation (over $5 billion as of September 2023).
As Redwood Supplies continues to develop its battery recycling operations on two continents, it continues so as to add purchasers to its Rolodex, which now contains BMW.
Redwood to supply battery recycling to BMW and MINI in US
BMW of North America shared particulars of its new partnership with Redwood Supplies right this moment, which incorporates battery recycling of lithium-ion cells from all-electric, plug-in, and delicate hybrid autos from BMW Group marques within the US, together with MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad.
BMW states that Redwood will now work straight with the automaker’s community of practically 700 areas throughout the US, which incorporates dealerships, distribution facilities, and different amenities. The battery recycling specialist will assist get better BMW’s end-of-life lithium-ion cells and take them to its amenities in Reno, Nevada, the place it may well do what it does finest – recycle and refine their vital minerals. Redwood’s chief industrial officer, Cal Lankton, spoke concerning the new partnership with BMW:
The transition to electrical mobility presents an amazing alternative to rethink how we handle the batteries that energy our clear vitality future. Our partnership with BMW of North America ensures accountable end-of-life battery administration that can enhance the environmental footprint of lithium-ion batteries, assist lower value and, in flip, improve entry and adoption of electrical autos.
As talked about above, Redwood guarantees that 95% to 98% of the vital minerals recycled might be returned to the battery provide chain and put into new EV fashions. Battery recycling is a vital but nascent trade for EV adoption and sustainability, as the present supplies inside EV batteries are practically infinitely recyclable and will not be misplaced of their lifetime of utilization.
Redwood’s recycling processes are additionally a much better choice than anybody else right this moment since they’ve a considerably smaller environmental affect than typical mining or different recycling applied sciences. Redwood states its recycling and refining of stated supplies reduces vitality by 80%, CO2 emissions by 70%, and water by 80%.
As we’ve beforehand reported, Redwood is within the technique of erecting a brand new battery recycling campus in Charleston, South Carolina, not removed from BMW Group’s manufacturing crops in Spartanburg and Woodruff.
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