Honda plans to tackle lithium-ion battery problem

Global – From next year, Honda Motor Co. wants to start collecting and recycling lithium-ion batteries used in its hybrid vehicles across Japan in a bid to tackle what the car manufacturer identifies as ‘€˜a major waste problem’€™ for the automotive sector.

Hybrid cars accounted for 27% of Honda’s domestic sales in fiscal year 2015. More than 4.6 million hybrids were on Japanese roads as of March last year, representing approximately 8% of all vehicles and five times more than five years earlier. Honda has earmarked next spring as the appropriate time to obtain a permit from the environment ministry for collecting and processing its used batteries across prefectural lines.

The company is already in talks with Tohoku University as well as Japan Metals & Chemicals about setting up a partnership and creating a prototype plant within three years that reflects their joint efforts to identify ‘perfect technologies’ for removing pure substances from battery waste for less than it would ordinarily cost to incinerate the devices.

The recycling process will involve safely discharging the batteries before separating out their electrolytes and recovering around 80% of their rare metal content. Honda aims to use the substances to create the base material for nickel-metal hydride batteries and other products.