The push to recycle electric vehicle batteries simply gained some momentum. Redwood Supplies has unveiled plans to construct an EV battery recycling plant on the outskirts of Charleston, South Carolina. The roughly 600-acre facility (previewed in a render above) will break “end-of-life” batteries all the way down to their uncooked metals and rebuild them because the anodes and cathodes which can be essential to EVs. The components ought to assist as much as 1 million EVs per yr. That would not solely scale back waste, however scale back the prices and dangers related to importing these elements from abroad.
The plant will reportedly quantity to a $3.5 billion funding that features 1,500 jobs. Like Redwood’s Nevada campus, the Charleston hub will rely solely on clear power and all-electric operations. The corporate claims its method lowers CO2 emissions for producing the battery elements by about 80 % in comparison with the output from the same old Asian provide chain.
Development ought to begin for the South Carolina plant within the first quarter of 2023. The primary recycling course of needs to be prepared by the tip of that yr, Redwood says. The corporate plans to scale afterward.
The locale alternative is strategic. Redwood says South Carolina is a part of a rising “Battery Belt” the place EV cell manufacturing will ramp as much as “tons of” of gigawatt-hours of manufacturing capability by 2030. Its seaside port helps, too. The state additional hosts factories for automobile producers that embody BMW and Redwood accomplice Volvo, so a model may shortly repurpose spent batteries for autos rolling off the road.
Extra importantly, Redwood seems to have broader assist from the auto trade. On prime of Volvo, it has companions like Ford, Toyota and battery makers that embody Panasonic and Envision AESC. Giant-scale battery recycling amenities are nonetheless comparatively uncommon within the US — Li-Cycle’s new Alabama plant can process batteries for about 20,000 EVs per yr. This growth may make recycling way more commonplace, and make a greater case for electrical vehicles because the environmentally acutely aware choices.
All merchandise advisable by Engadget are chosen by our editorial staff, unbiased of our mum or dad firm. A few of our tales embody affiliate hyperlinks. In the event you purchase one thing by way of one in all these hyperlinks, we might earn an affiliate fee. All costs are right on the time of publishing.