Volkswagen to recycle batteries multiple times for the first time

Volkswagen has announced that under its leadership, companies such as Taniobis GmbH, J. Schmalz GmbH and Viscom AG will work together with researchers from RWTH Aachen University, TU Braunschweig and the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films (IST) for three years to research and develop the necessary processes to obtain raw materials from EV batteries. The teams will focus on recovering these raw materials through a closed-loop recycling process.

Chief Operating Officer Battery Cell at Volkswagen AG Sebastian Wolf informed the recycling of batteries for electric vehicles will help to secure the supply of raw materials for the factories that Volkswagen has planned. “Through the HVBatCycle project, a holistic view of the recycling processes and thereby the implementation of the closed-loop of battery materials are being prepared," added Wolf.

Volkswagen shared that a closed-loop recycling process needs complex interdisciplinary processes. Hence, to take fewer materials from primary sources such as mines or salt flats, the necessary raw materials will be recovered not once but multiple times. battery cells produced from recycled materials will be recycled again which also shows that several recycling runs will have no effect on the quality, added the auto major.

To attain this goal, Volkswagen added that all the processes must be coordinated with each other in order to manufacture sorted and high-quality secondary materials under the highest safety requirements. The company also stressed on scalability and economic efficiency of the process.

To realise this step taken toward sustainability, Volkswagen will start the pilot plant for mechanical recycling at the Salzgitter components site and the automaker's technology division will ensure the production and supply of recyclable material from vehicle batteries.