As electric vehicles gain traction, growing concerns are emerging over how to handle their batteries and other components once they’ve reached the end of their lifespan. The Blue Oval has taken steps to recycle Ford EV components, building several recycling facilities throughout the years, partnering with Redwood Materials, a recycling company that has been growing its global reach. The organization has announced a new research and development center in the U.S., located in the heart of San Francisco.
The new San Francisco facility is Redwood Materials first venture into the Bay Area. Located in the Design District, the 15,000 square foot R&D center will feature lab spaces where researchers and engineers will develop various EV battery subsystems, including cathode production and future product lines.
The engineering team will help design the systems, machines, and processes that allow battery components from Ford EV models to be efficiently recycled. Said processes can effectively recover up to 95 percent of critical minerals in spent lithium-ion batteries. Redwood Materials is also focused on extending EV battery life while bringing manufacturing of battery components stateside.
While the San Fran campus represents Redwood’s first foray into the Bay Area, it’s certainly not its first foray into the state. Redwood has worked with dismantlers and dealers to collect end-of-life lithium-ion (Li-ion) and nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries in California, transport them back to its facility, and recycle them. The recycled battery materials can be reused in the creation of new battery cells, preventing them from ending up in landfills and reducing the need to mine and import raw materials including lithium.
The San Fran campus joins two other campuses in the U.S. One is located outside Reno, Nevada, and the other in Charleston, South Carolina. Redwood also operates in Europe, having acquired Redux Recycling GmbH, the region’s leading lithium-ion battery recycler, and the facility located in Bremerhaven, Germany.
While Ford EV components make up a large portion of Redwood’s operations, The Blue Oval is not the only automaker to partner with the organization. It has also attracted investments from some of Ford’s rivals, including General Motors and Toyota; most recently, BMW joined the list.
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