The success Redwood Materials has not gone unnoticed by the automotive world. Recently, BMW of North America announced a partnership with the battery recycling company to recycle lithium-ion batteries from all BMW Group electric and hybrid vehicles in the U.S.
This partnership includes all batteries under the MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad brands.
“Together with Redwood Materials, BMW is laying the groundwork for the creation of a fully circular battery supply chain in the U.S.,” said Denise Melville, Head of Sustainability, BMW of North America. “We have said before that the future of BMW was electric, digital, and circular, and this agreement brings us a step closer to meeting that goal.”
This announcement helps secure Redwood Materials position as a leader in the battery recycling industry. Other major auto manufacturers they currently work with include Ford, Volkswagen, and Volvo. They also have clients in other industries including Lyft and Amazon to name a few.
Redwood Materials will work directly with BMW’s network of nearly 700 locations across the U.S., including dealerships, distribution centers, and other facilities. The company will collect end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and transport them to its recycling facilities.
The company currently has a recycling facility in Reno, Nevada and is creating a second facility in Charleston, South Carolina. This location is strategically placed near BMW’s Spartanburg, SC manufacturing plant.
Redwood Materials claims it can recover 95% to 98% of critical minerals such as nickel, cobalt, lithium, and copper from the recycled batteries. These materials are then refined and returned to the battery supply chain for use in new electric vehicle batteries.
The recycling process employed by Redwood Materials is reported to have significant environmental benefits compared to conventional mining or other recycling technologies:
- 80% reduction in energy usage
- 70% reduction in CO2 emissions
- 80% reduction in water consumption
“The transition to electric mobility presents a tremendous opportunity to rethink how we manage the batteries that power our clean energy future”, said Cal Lankton, Chief Commercial Officer at Redwood Materials. “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.”
The benefits of this partnership include:
- Sustainability: This initiative supports BMW’s goal of creating a fully circular battery supply chain in the U.S.
- Cost Reduction: Recycling batteries can help lower the cost of electric vehicles, making them more accessible to consumers.
- Resource Conservation: By recovering and reusing critical materials, the partnership reduces dependence on newly mined resources.
- Regulatory Compliance: The collaboration helps BMW meet regulations requiring proper end-of-life management of EV batteries.
The success of Redwood’s recycling technology represents a major milestone in the quest for sustainable transportation and energy storage solutions.
As the demand for electric vehicles continues to grow, the importance of efficient and environmentally friendly battery recycling processes will only increase, making Redwood’s achievements all the more significant for the future of clean energy and transportation.
References: BMW of North America
