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Mercedes-Benz has set a new standard for sustainability by recycling nearly all batteries in its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. See how this advanced technology is changing the electric battery landscape and helping the environment!
As electric vehicle batteries contain precious and at the same time difficult-to-obtain raw materials such as lithium and nickel, which often raises concerns about their impact environmental. In a decisive step towards sustainability, the Mercedes-Benz opened a new battery recycling plant, using an innovative and integrated mechanical-hydrometallurgical recycling process.
This facility, located in Kuppenheim, southern Germany, is a breakthrough in the circular economy in the automotive industry. The new plant can recover valuable raw materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt for reuse in manufacture of new Batteries.
This reduces dependence on natural resources and, consequently, minimizes the need for new mining explorations. This innovation not only favors the production of electric vehicles, but also reduces the environmental impact of the production cycle.
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Mercedes-Benz — A milestone in sustainability
With a recovery rate of over 96%, the new Mercedes plant promises to operate more efficiently than traditional battery recycling processes.
This means that almost all of the materials from old batteries can be reused, contributing to the production of new battery modules. In total, it is estimated that more than 50 new modules can be manufactured annually at the unit.
Furthermore, Mercedes-Benz aims to strengthen its production chain within Germany, reducing dependence on other countries, especially China, and ensuring greater added value to its production process.
The factory, therefore, not only represents an environmental solution, but also an economic strategy to strengthen the country's industrial autonomy.
Efficient recycling and less energy
Battery recycling is one of the most pressing challenges in the current transition scenario towards electric mobility.
With the significant increase in electric vehicles on the roads, the proper management of battery waste has become a global issue. However, Mercedes-Benz has found a way to tackle this problem in a sustainable way.
The Kuppenheim plant uses a recycling process that, in addition to recovering essential materials, does so in an energy-efficient manner.
Unlike conventional methods that require large amounts of energy, the hydrometallurgical process employed by Mercedes operates at lower temperatures, around 80 degrees Celsius. This drastically reduces energy and water consumption, two critical resources in the current environmental context.
In addition to the main elements, such as lithium and cobalt, the plant can also recover copper, aluminum, iron and even plastic materials. This process uses practically every component of the batteries, including their structures and casings.
One of the highlights of this factory is that it operates with a carbon neutral balance, using exclusively green energy. The photovoltaic system installed on the roof of the plant has a capacity of more than 350 kilowatts, making the project even more sustainable.
A model for the future
Mercedes-Benz does not see this plant as just a temporary solution, but as a model for the future of battery recycling. The Kuppenheim plant could serve as a reference for other facilities around the world, especially with the increasing demand for electric vehicles and the resulting need to properly manage battery waste.
The creation of this plant also involved collaboration with universities and technology companies, including Primobius, a joint venture between the German SMS group and the Australian Neometals. This partnership was crucial for the development of the mechanical-hydrometallurgical recycling process.
The project received financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, which demonstrates the government's commitment to supporting initiatives that leverage sustainability and innovation in the industrial sector.
Circular economy in practice
Mercedes-Benz also takes a holistic approach by creating batteries that are already designed for recycling, which facilitates the process of recovering materials at the end of their useful life.
In addition, the brand offers reconditioned batteries as spare parts for electric vehicles and has developed large-scale storage systems for batteries that are no longer suitable for automotive use.
This reuse cycle not only reduces environmental impact, but also generates long-term economic value. Old batteries, for example, are used in energy storage systems for homes and power plants, extending their useful life and optimizing their use in various applications.
At the Stuttgart campus, Mercedes is developing new battery technologies, where the circular economy is an integral part of the innovation process.
This effort is part of a broader strategy to ensure that the production of electric vehicles, from the extraction of raw materials to the end of the batteries’ useful life, is as sustainable as possible.
Mercedes-Benz's new battery recycling plant in Kuppenheim represents a turning point in the way carmakers deal with the environmental impact of electric vehicle batteries.
By implementing an energy-efficient and near-total recycling process, Mercedes is not only leading the way in sustainability, but also provides a model for other companies to follow in the future.
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