Europe – With 91% of its hybrid batteries being ‘successfully collected’ through its own retail network, Toyota Motor Europe (TME) is now extending collection to independent end-of-life vehicle treatment operators across the continent. The major car brand intends to collect 100% of Toyota’s as well as Lexus’ used hybrid batteries.
Toyota has extended until April 2018 the current battery recycling agreements with France-based Société Nouvelle d′Affinage des Métaux (SNAM) and Belgium-based Umicore, responsible for the European-wide take-back and sustainable recycling of nickel-metal hydride (NiMh) and lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries in Europe.
′Today, used hybrid batteries are still mainly destined for recycling,′ notes Steve Hope, general manager of environment affairs at Toyota′s European branch. ′However, TME has started to research the different options for the remanufacturing of NiMh batteries; solutions include giving those batteries a second life as vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-stationary energy source.′ This development represents ′another good reason to fall in love with hybrids′, he adds.
Around 850 000 Toyota and Lexus full hybrid vehicles have been sold in Europe since 2000.
For more information, visit: www.toyota-europe.com
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