Photo: Toyota
Lithium-ion batteries might not be as toxic as those using lead and acid, but they still use expensive materials that has to be collected and recycled properly to make brand new units for powering future hybrid cars. Reason why Toyota announced it is expanding it’s battery collecting service throughout Europe.
Toyota Motor Europe now collects as much as 91 percent of all the hybrid batteries used in its cars using its own retail network. But that is soon to change as the company wants to expand the collection system to independent end-of-life vehicle (ELV) treatment operators across the continent.
Part of the plan includes a battery recycling agreement extension with France-based Societe Nouvelle d’Affinage des Metaux (SNAM) and Belgium-based Umicore N.V., both companies being responsible for the European-wide take back and sustainable recycling of nickel-metal hydride (NiMh) and Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries.
“Today used hybrid batteries are still mainly destined for recycling”, TME Environment Affairs general manager Steve Hope said. “However, TME has started to research the different options for the remanufacturing of NiMh batteries.” Solutions include giving those batteries a second life as vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-stationary energy source.
The agreements will be extended until March 31st 2018 for SNAM, which recycles NiMh batteries for Toyota Prius. Auris Hybrid, Yaris Hybrid and Lexus hybrids models since 1st of July 2011, as well as for Umicore N.V. which handled Li-ion batteries installed in the Toyota Prius+ and Prius Plug-in models since 20th August 2012.
Part of the plan includes a battery recycling agreement extension with France-based Societe Nouvelle d’Affinage des Metaux (SNAM) and Belgium-based Umicore N.V., both companies being responsible for the European-wide take back and sustainable recycling of nickel-metal hydride (NiMh) and Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries.
“Today used hybrid batteries are still mainly destined for recycling”, TME Environment Affairs general manager Steve Hope said. “However, TME has started to research the different options for the remanufacturing of NiMh batteries.” Solutions include giving those batteries a second life as vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-stationary energy source.
The agreements will be extended until March 31st 2018 for SNAM, which recycles NiMh batteries for Toyota Prius. Auris Hybrid, Yaris Hybrid and Lexus hybrids models since 1st of July 2011, as well as for Umicore N.V. which handled Li-ion batteries installed in the Toyota Prius+ and Prius Plug-in models since 20th August 2012.
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