Bmw Group ahead in circular economy with battery recycling

MUNICH, Bavaria (GERMANY) (ITALPRESS) – As electric mobility continues to develop, the recycling of high-voltage batteries is increasingly in the spotlight. Following the success of the closed-loop recycling system for the reuse of high-voltage battery raw materials developed in 2022 through the BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) joint venture in China, the BMW Group has now reached another important milestone. On November 1, 2024, it launched a pan-European partnership with SK tes, a leading provider of innovative technology lifecycle solutions. The special recycling process allows cobalt, nickel and lithium to be recovered from used batteries, subsequently reintegrating them into the value chain for the production of new batteries. This closed-loop system is set to expand to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada region as early as 2026.The long-term partnership with SK tes directly involves the BMW Group in practical recycling processes, enabling it to provide valuable guidance to development departments. In the future, high-voltage batteries that are no longer fit for use from the BMW Group’s development, production, and market sectors in Europe will be handed over to SK tes, representing the first step toward an effective and sustainable circular economy for batteries. SK tes will then transform old batteries into high-quality metals that can later be reintroduced into the production of new batteries. This process involves mechanical shredding of the batteries, during which the metals are concentrated in order to obtain a material known as “black mass.” The valuable materials, such as nickel, lithium and cobalt, are subsequently recovered through a highly efficient chemical process called hydrometallurgy. These secondary raw materials will, among other things, be used for the new GEN 6 traction system.

photo: press office Bmw Group Italy

(ITALPRESS).