Off Topic » Recycling lithium EV batteries in Europe

My guess is that this should be a good business to be in, with a bright future. I would be nice if it could be duplicated in the North American market. However, I won't be holding my breath until that happens. In my area recyclers are more interested in making a profit than in the environmental aspects of recycling and the state government is not about to give them any financial assistance. I suspect things are different in the EU: https://electricmotorcycles.news/zero-mo...ycling-project/

I think its a very expensive process to recover lithium from batteries, is it not Lithium that flares when it meets the moisture in the air and has to be assembled in a special controlled atmosphere ?

Zitat von boxter im Beitrag #2

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I think its a very expensive process to recover lithium from batteries, is it not Lithium that flares when it meets the moisture in the air and has to be assembled in a special controlled atmosphere ?

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Things are different right now in the U.S. To my knowledge, public recycling centers will not accept EV batteries. However, I do believe that Tesla, Nissan and maybe GM (in the future) will be recycling their own batteries. It is nice to see Zero giving it a go. However, I imagine that recycling their battery packs is very labor intensive and expensive. I assume that the process in Europe will be subsidized by the EU. Considering that Zero's electric motorcycle sales only amount to a few thousand units a year, I doubt such a program could be implemented in the U.S., as it would likely take a nation-wide recycling program subsidized by the Federal government to fund the work and that would be really tough to implement. I just don't see something like that happening here for many years.

Here in California, the state's commercial product recycling program has collapsed, apparently due to poor management, although they are still collecting recycling fees and deposits, which seems to just disappear into the state's general fund. So I do not foresee this state funding an EV battery recycling program within the near future. Maybe in 15 years when new ICE vehicle sales are banned.

That is true about lithium it is very reactive. But there is zero metallic lithium in batteries.

Zitat von Richard230 im Beitrag #1

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In my area recyclers are more interested in making a profit than in the environmental aspects of recycling

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I can't speak to lithium batteries, but recycling has lost its principal customer (China) and many programs are trying to develop a business plan to avoid the mountains of waste.

Zitat von himoverthere im Beitrag #6

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Zitat von Richard230 im Beitrag #1

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In my area recyclers are more interested in making a profit than in the environmental aspects of recycling

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There is a reason why anyone runs a recycling business and that is the same reason that people go out to work, to make money (profit). Would you go to work and be happy with no pay?

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