Two companies are teaming up to recycle old EV batteries in a smart way that could make battery-powered cars even better.
According to The EV Report, Toyota and LG Energy Solution announced a joint venture called Green Metals Battery Innovations, and they're building a recycling facility in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Once it opens in 2026, the plant will take apart and process more than 40,000 used or scrap EV batteries every year.
Here's how it works. The facility will crush and shred old batteries to pull out something called black mass, which is a material that holds valuable metals, including lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
Those are the same metals used to make new EV batteries. Instead of mining fresh resources, it'll reuse what's already there, saving energy, reducing pollution, and cutting costs.
That means cleaner cars, less waste, and lower prices down the line.
We might not think about what happens to an EV battery after it's done working, but this setup creates a closed-loop system where materials go from old battery to new battery again and again. This process helps reduce toxic waste and the need for risky mining practices, which means going electric gets even better for the environment.
"We're fully committed to leading the recycling market through innovative technologies," Chang Beom Kang, a leader at LG Energy Solution, said.
Toyota Tsusho COO Masaharu Katayama added that this move will help "build a sustainable mobility society."
Long story short, this collaboration could make the EV world a whole lot better, but we need to wait a bit to know more about it. The good news is that you don't need to wait to change things.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
You can always get the ball rolling by doing things such as switching to solar or even changing to one of the EVs you can find out there right now.
|
What is your biggest concern with EV batteries?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
They're not efficient enough ⚡ 
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
