Page 43 from: October 2012

43October 2012

More momentum for tomo rrow’s batteries market?
e-mobility is quickly becoming more of a con-

tender – expected to gain a seven-fold momen-

tum in the following years.’

And he continued: ‘In line with its take-off in

2005, the volumes of electric hybrid cars are fore-

cast to flare up to around 7 or 8 million world-

wide in 2020. Our latest calculations say this

translates into a 2.8% share of global new car

sales.’ According to the speaker, some car manu-

facturers – such as Nissan, Renault and BMW –

claim they could average 15% of total sales.

France appears to have the most EVs on the road

at this point (2 million), with Germany and the

Netherlands sharing second place on 1 million.

Next-generation EV technologies
Leading UK battery manufacturer Axeon has

noted that automotive cells command only a

marginal share of today’s industry, making up

less than 5% of the rechargeable lithium-ion

market. ‘The next-generation technologies

delivering higher specific energy are likely to be

nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) and compos-

ite cathodes and high-capacity anodes (sili-

con),’ it believes. The Scotland-based battery

manufacturer estimates that these will be avail-

able in a series vehicle around 2020. Higher-

voltage cathode chemistries are expected to

follow shortly afterwards.

Regarding this evolution of the automotive sec-

tor and its impact on recycling, Axeon’s Elec-

trochemical Engineer Dr Valentina Gentili was

invited to present the findings of the company’s

recent feasibility study into the economic via-

bility of the recycling of batteries for low- and

ultra-low-carbon vehicles. Concluded back in

July, the report gave a detailed overview of the

UK’s predicted automotive battery recycling

demand until 2050 which was mapped against

the country’s current recycling facilities.

‘As a battery manufacturer as well as an active

member of the automotive industry, Axeon is

very interested to know what is happening

exactly at the end-of-life stage,’ she explained.

‘Therefore, we decided to engage in a pro-

gramme of the Technology Strategy Board to

identify which options EV battery recycling

may offer us in the years to come.’ Winning

£500 000 (or US$ 810 000) of financial support

from the UK innovation agency, the report

yielded a forecast ‘inspiring new confidence

that there will be sufficient EV batteries to recy-

cle by 2050’, Dr Gentili announced.

‘Specifically, our forecast suggests that the

annually-available number of end-of-life bat-

teries at that stage will likely vary between

300 000 and 1 million tonnes – depending on

Head of EC’s Waste Management Unit Julius Langendorff.

EBRA General Secretary Alain Vassart.

Recharge Director General Jean-Pol Wiaux.

Axeon Electrochemical Engineer Dr Valentina Gentili.

the number of batteries required in the life-

span of the vehicle, which is commonly expect-

ed to range from 12 to four years, respectively,’

said the electrochemical engineer. The lower

level of 300 000 batteries might even be reached

long before 2050 – and perhaps even around

2030. ‘This result is enough to run a recycling

plant, at least in the UK,’ she insisted.

‘Optimistic’ estimates
Citing statistics from the six recycling facilities

already catering to the EV build-up, and herald-

ing Belgian player Umicore as ‘a prime example’

(with a capacity of 7000 tonnes a year), Dr Gen-

tili asserted that, even if the UK established six

such recycling plants, these would process only

42 000 tonnes of batteries a year. ‘After all, most

of these facilities are still active only on a pilot

scale or at the development stage, with the

exception of Recupyl in France and Toxco in the

US,’ she highlighted to delegates.

The report also pointed out that, owing to high

dismantling and cell recycling costs, there is ‘but

little value to be obtained from lithium iron

phosphate (LFP) cells’, whereas NCM cells are

quite interesting from an economic recycling

perspective. By applying a hydrometallurgical

process, the closed-loop value of metals from

individual cells may average up to £10.42 per kg

(or US$ 16.88). Lithium-cobalt-dioxide

(LiCoO2) cells may even boast a figure of £16.61

(or US$ 26.90). Dr Gentili admitted these esti-

mates are, at least for the time being, ‘very opti-

mistic’ as they are based on the metals’ closed-

loop prices instead of their original ones.

Better disassembly needed
Her figures triggered some scepticism among

the automotive players in the Krasnapolsky

meeting lounge – though some claimed they

would be delighted to be proven wrong. The

speaker from Axeon also recognised that there

is a pronounced need for better disassembly

methods and, not unimportantly, that opting

for the hydrometallurgical approach will add

‘considerable costs’ of its own.

According to Dr Gentili, the project’s ultimate

aim is to develop a nationwide recycling indus-

try for end-of-life automotive batteries, which

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