That's exactly what Tesla Motors did today with the help of Brussels-based materials technology company Umicore that will be in charge of recycling battery packs fitted on Tesla's models sold in Europe.
Specifically, Umicore will use the battery materials to produce an alloy transformed later into cobalt, nickel and other metals. The cobalt will be used to obtain high grade lithium cobalt oxide, a material that could be then used by other battery manufacturers.
"Working with Umicore has allowed us to completely recycle the Roadster battery packs profitably, without special financial incentives necessary to promote recycling (as opposed to the lithium manganese or lithium iron phosphate chemistries used in the electric vehicles just hitting the road now). Soon, we hope to have the ability to recycle our batteries back into their raw materials," Kurt Kelty, Director of Energy Storage Systems explained.
Tesla Motors has signed a similar deal in North America where it works with Kinsbursky Brothers, while new agreements in Japan and the Asia Pacific region are expected to be announced in the near future.
"We take great pride in the ability to recycle our batteries and with Umicore we are one very large step closer to a closed loop of material use with our vehicles," the Tesla official proudly concluded.
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