Battery recycler SK tes has struck a strategic partnership with BMW Group.
The German carmaker will help establish a pan-European recycling programme for cobalt, nickel and lithium from used car batteries. These metals will be included in new vehicle components, such as BMW’s GEN 6 drive train.
SK tes’ expertise in extracting valuable materials from high-voltage batteries will play a crucial role. Its cutting-edge process safely and securely discharges, disassembles and mechanically shreds batteries before they go through an enhanced separation and hydrometallurgy process to yield black mass.
Wide reach
With SK tes, the carmaker plans to expand a closed loop for car batteries to the US-Mexico-Canada region by 2026.
BMW and SK tes hope this collaboration will be another big step towards closed loop car batteries and minimising waste. ‘It underscores our shared mission to keep materials in circulation and ensure resources are maximised to their full potential,’ says Eric Ingebretsen, chief commercial officer at SK tes.
Besides providing recycling solutions, the company is providing valuable design insights. It aims to have a ‘lasting impact’ that benefits the market as a whole.
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