What to do with EV batteries?

The number of companies looking at recycling batteries from electric vehicles is on the rise.

Recycling the batteries is a complex process because of the chemicals involved, with different companies using their own formulations Linda Gaines, from the Center for Transportation Research at the Argonne National Laboratory told FT.com.

“Lead acid batteries are way simpler.”

However, that hasn’t stopped companies from planning ahead.

Umicore of Belgium has been recycling smaller lithium-ion batteries for some time, FT.com reports.
Now it is running a pilot process for recycling electric car batteries, with “sizeable” numbers likely to hit the market in 2025, it says.

Oregon-based OnTo Technology is another company investigating how to make the recycling process work.

“By 2025 it’s certainly going to be a robust industry,” says founder Steve Sloop.

“Between now and 2020, it’s learning how to practice this and getting these materials back into manufacturing that’s really important.”

Carmakers like Tesla are also investigating battery recycling, which founder Elon Musk confirmed in a tweet in July.