The German automaker invested millions of euros in this plant. It's the first of its kind owned by a car manufacturer. The facility will use a new process that combines mechanical and chemical methods to recycle batteries.
Workers at the plant will shred battery modules, dry them, and process the materials inside. They'll sort out plastics, copper, aluminum, and iron. Then, they'll recover valuable materials like lithium, nickel, and cobalt. These can go into new batteries for Mercedes' electric cars.
The plant can handle 2,500 tonnes of batteries each year. That's enough to make more than 50,000 new battery modules. Mercedes says it will recover over 96% of the materials from old batteries.
The company worked with technology partner Primobius and research institutes to develop the plant. They aimed to make the recycling process more energy-efficient than other methods used in Europe.
Mercedes made sure the new facility is eco-friendly. The 6,800 square meter building runs on green electricity and has solar panels on the roof. The company says the plant will operate with net-zero carbon emissions.
This new recycling plant will help Mercedes create a circular economy for electric vehicle batteries. By reusing materials from old batteries, the company can reduce its environmental impact and secure a supply of crucial raw materials for future electric cars.
Ola Källenius, the chairman of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, said:
"As a pioneer in automotive engineering, Europe's first integrated mechanical-hydrometallurgical battery recycling factory marks a key milestone towards enhancing raw materials sustainability. Together with our partners from industry and science, we are sending a strong signal of innovative strength for sustainable electric mobility and value creation in Germany and Europe."
Source: Mercedes-Benz
