Audi and Umicore are launching a closed loop system in January 2020 that recycles 90pc of the cobalt and nickel in the former’s e-tron batteries that are used in its line of electric vehicles (EV).
The recovered minerals will be used in the production of new battery cells for Audi’s EVs. The process begins Umicore receiveing modules from the e-tron model and recovering the cobalt and nickel contained therein. The metas are then processed into precursor and cathode materials to produce new battery cells.
Closed loop systems for battery raw materials save resources and reduce CO2 emissions, thereby ensuring a sustainable supply chin. According to Dr. Bernd Martens, member of the board of management for Procurement and IT at Audi, the system will bring the carmaker significantly closed to its goal of achieving carbon-neutral balance by 2050.