Northvolt and aluminum company plot Norwegian EV recycling plant
The sustainable lithium-ion battery manufacturer wants to secure raw materials to recycle into its products and will tap one of the world’s most advanced electric vehicle markets for its end-of-life batteries.
With Swedish sustainable battery manufacturer Northvolt having committed to draw at least half its components from recycled materials by 2030, the business has formed a joint venture (JV) with its investor Hydro to secure a stream of dead electric vehicle batteries.
Norway is a global pioneer for plug-in electric vehicle (EV) take-up and its fast maturing EV market can supply battery materials and aluminum until Northvolt’s own lithium-ion products start reaching the end of their shelf life and being returned to the manufacturer.
A press release issued by Northvolt and Norwegian aluminum company Hydro today announced the Hydro Volt JV formed by the partners will start recycling end-of-life EV batteries in Fredrikstad, Norway next year.
The highly-automated facility will crush and sort more than 8,000 tons of EV batteries initially, said the project partners, with plans to then expand capacity.
Northvolt, set up to establish a sustainable lithium-ion battery manufacturing industry in Europe, already has plans for a pilot materials recycling facility which is set to enter operation this year, as part of its Revolt project.
The company plans to establish a full-scale recycling site at its lithium-ion gigafactory in Skellefteå, Sweden, in 2022.