Toyota To Recycle Batteries From Old Hybrids For Use In New Cars

The battery of your first-gen Prius could end up in a, say, new Camry.

Toyota to recycle old Prius batteries

Angel Sergeev

By: Angel Sergeev

Nov 20, 2023 at 7:00pm ET

Add Motor1.com as a preferred source in Google

Comment

In a new move towards achieving circularity in the battery ecosystem, Toyota has joined forces with Redwood Materials to bolster its existing recycling agreement. The collaboration aims to establish sustainable pathways for the disposal of automotive batteries from Toyota's electrified vehicles that have reached the end of their operational life.

Simply put, the battery of your old Prius could be used in your new electrified Crown Signia. Or, at least, parts of it. Extending the existing partnership, Toyota will now procure cathode and anode copper foil from Redwood's recycling activities, contributing to its own upcoming automotive battery production. The partnership was originally announced last year.

The Japanese manufacturer anticipates a growth in its automotive battery recycling needs, particularly as more of its electrified vehicles, including the first-generation Prius models introduced over two decades ago, approach the end of their life cycle. With a significant portion of Toyota's retiring fleet located in California, many of those cars could end up at Redwood's Nevada recycling facility. The new ecosystem the two companies are forming is expected to recycle, remanufacture, and repurpose around 5 million operating units in the coming years.

Recycled Materials Used In The Auto Industry:

Lotus Uses Recycled Haute Couture And Deletes PVC In Emeya Interior

VW EVs To Have Interiors With More Recycled Bottles, Marine Debris

What do you think?

View

Comments

The collaboration is part of Toyota's ambitious sustainability goals. The automotive giant aims to achieve carbon neutrality for its global operations by 2035 and extend the same status to its vehicles by 2050. An integral part of this plan – at least in North America – is the use of recycled materials in future battery production at Toyota Battery Manufacturing, North Carolina (TBMNC), set to be operational in 2025.

Redwood Materials, in turn, is expanding its Northern Nevada facility and breaking ground on its second Battery Materials Campus outside Charleston, South Carolina. It aims to recycle, refine, and manufacture battery materials, targeting an annual production scale of 100 GWh. As outlined in the agreement, Redwood will provide materials with a minimum of 20 percent recycled nickel, 20 percent recycled lithium, and 50 percent recycled cobalt for cathode production, along with a focus on recycled copper for anode copper foil.

Source: Toyota

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motor1.com?

Take our 3 minute survey.

- The Motor1.com Team

Share this Story

GO TO COMMENTS

(

)

Got a tip for us? Email: tips@motor1.com

View all comments ( )

Popular

12 Cars With Names That Make Absolutely No Sense

BMW Kept This Hatchback A Secret For Decades

Bugatti Restores One-Off Veyron With A Mirror-Like Aluminum Body

The Gas BMW M3 Isn't Dead: Next-Gen Prototype Roars