[wheelguy]

Automotive Electronics Power, a joint venture (JV) of Japan’s three large companies — Suzuki, Toshiba, and Denso — is now looking to set up a lithium-ion battery recycling plant in India. The plant will help the company to recycle and recover metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese used in lithium-ion batteries.

Suzuki’s deputy executive of global automobile marketing Hisashi Takeuchi said that the company is following the approach of 3R — Reuse, Rebuild and Recycle — to ensure the safety and scrapping of lithium-ion batteries. “We are planning to establish a lithium-ion battery recycling centre in future. We are also looking to expand production capacity and localise lithium-ion battery parts in India,” Takeuchi was quoted as saying.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Electrification Mobility Summit at the Auto Expo 2020, Takeuchi added that parts such as motors and inverter for electric vehicles will also be manufactured in India.

This development comes after Automotive Electronics Power signed an MoU with the Gujarat government in October 2019. In the MoU, Automotive Electronics Power has laid out an INR 4930 Cr project to set up a lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in Bacharaji, near Ahmedabad. It is expected that the plant will manufacture 30 Mn lithium-ion cells by 2025.

Source: Inc42

[Thermodynamics]

That’s a good news, battery recycling is an essential building block for a sustainable EV market. It could provide better residual value for used batteries and also reduce environmental impact.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Thermodynamics

battery recycling is an essential building block for a sustainable EV market.

And also make it a cheaper source of battery supplies / raw materials for Suzuki. The company isn't particularly known for its "CSR", and counts every penny of cost.

Still, a win-win situation for all.

[libranof1987]

It was in the news some years back that India has become one of the larger dumping grounds for e-waste in the world. This is a problem because we don't strong legislation in place, be it from an environment or manpower point of view. E-waste contains hazardous materials that can't be disposed off as other waste does.

While this does have benefits, we have to be cautious about how the waste is handled. These being leading MNCs will have stringent SOPs in place but just hope the middlemen don't water down processes.

Hope this helps the EV scene in India.

Edit: the article I was referring to.

A lack of regulation and increasing 'throw away' culture in India has led to the country becoming the world's biggest dumping ground for discarded electronic goods, a conference at The Australian National University (ANU) will hear.

According to the 2015 United Nations Environment Programme up to 90 per cent of the world's electronic waste is illegally dumped in India; this is on top of the estimated 1.8 million mertic tonnes of e-waste produced domestically each year.

https://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news...99-for-e-waste

[ds.raikkonen]

Originally Posted by GTO

The company isn't particularly known for its "CSR", and counts every penny of cost.

Maruti Suzuki has taken initiatives in Skill Development, Sanitation, Road Safety etc., refer the following excerpt from Corporate Website:

About Maruti Suzuki’s CSR programme:

Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) undertakes relevant and effective social projects in the areas of Road Safety, Community Development and Skill Development.

Road Safety: Road Safety is one of the key initiatives under its CSR umbrella. In the area of Road Safety, the company is using latest technologies to improve safety on roads. The Company continues to support expansion of quality driving training infrastructure in the country, with increased focus on training of driving instructors.

Community Development: In Community Development, the Company aims to improve the quality of life in its 26 project villages by undertaking relevant and effective social projects including building sewer lines, household toilets, providing potable drinking water and upgrading government school infrastructure.

Skill Development: Under Skill Development the Company is expanding its efforts to enhance employability of underprivileged youth by improving the quality of skill training in over 110 Industrial Training Institutes. The Company’s approach is to consult potential employers to understand their requirements, and undertake relevant initiatives to make students industry ready. In FY 2017-18 the Company set up Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing (JIM) in Mehsana, Gujarat as a model ITI. The institute is an outcome of a joint initiative between Government of India and Government of Japan to create a pool of 30,000 skilled manpower for the manufacturing industry in India.

There's also a dedicated department to manage these activities as per this document: https://www.marutisuzuki.com/-/media...ity.ashx?la=en

[wheelguy]

Originally Posted by GTO

And also make it a cheaper source of battery supplies / raw materials for Suzuki.

Does it mean that they will use those recycled raw materials in their new batteries.

[Thermodynamics]

Originally Posted by wheelguy

Does it mean that they will use those recycled raw materials in their new batteries

I guess you are doubtful of quality of batteries manufactured from recycled lithium. They say, this is about recovery of metals. Therefore I presume this wouldn't be a mechanical recycle or a mere refurbishing of batteries.

It rather sounds like a chemical recovery process, something like smelting at high temperature (pyrometallurgy), hydrometallurgy, acid leaching, peroxide oxidation etc., followed by electrolytic purification. So the batteries made this way should be as good as those made from virgin metals.

If it is a direct recycling process in which the battery is dismantled and electrolytes and electrodes are processed to recover Lithium carbonate, may be there is some chance for contamination. Will have to wait and see what type of technology this is going to be.

[2000rpm]

Originally Posted by wheelguy

Does it mean that they will use those recycled raw materials in their new batteries.

Dont worry friend, every atom in the world is recycled. Thats the whole funda of the carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, oxygen cycle (7th science). Basically we are recycled dinosaurs / Megalodons, if you track at atom level

Metals can be recovered at more than 99.9% purity using chemical recovery processes like electrolysis.

[ramnaresh_2000]

Unlike traditional battery recyclers, this company based in Germany "Duesenfeld" is able to achieve 72% recycling of old batteries. This is great news for those who might think EV Batteries are polluting and hence nullifying the EV effect. Technologies like this will only evolve in the future and we may try to achieve around 90% of recycling.

Screenshots from the "fullychargedshow" youtube channel. This is a detailed video which gives us the tour of Duesenfeld factory and how they are recycling old batteries. It even highlights the dangers of battery recycling and how they are fighting it.

Source

Traditional Recycling of Batteries - 32% only



Duesenfeld Recycling of Batteries - 72%

“We work with mechanics instead of temperature and crush the entire module in an inert atmosphere,” explains Christian Hanisch of Duesenfeld. The shredder contains nitrogen gas, which prevents further chemical reactions. The pressure is then significantly reduced, which first evaporates the liquid electrolyte and then recovers it through condensation. In addition to the grinding shredder, the electrolyte flows into a container.

Link

Company Link - https://www.duesenfeld.com/

Does this change your attitude towards EV's? Yes from my end.