Nevada-based Redwood Materials has launched an EV batteries collection and recycling project in California backed by Ford and Volvo. Redwood said yesterday that the car firms are the first to directly support the programme – but all lithium-ion and nickel metal hydride batteries in the state will be welcomed into the scheme and other auto makers are invited to join in. Redwood – which announced last year it was expanding its operations to produce battery materials for the US market – said it will work directly with dealers and dismantlers in California to identify and recover end-of-life packs. 'Ramping up' The recycling firm will then "safely package, transport, and recycle" these batteries at its facilities in neighbouring Northern Nevada – returning "high quality, recycled materials back into domestic cell production”. Annually, 6 GWh of lithium-ion batteries, or the equivalent of 60,000 EVs, come through Redwood’s doors – which the company said represents "most of the recycled lithium-ion batteries in North America today”. "We’ve been ramping our processes in preparation for the first wave of these vehicles to come off roads and we’re ready to support the battery market in identifying and creating pathways to collect battery packs,” Redwood said. 'Sustainable transition' "California has always been a leader in the transition to electric transportation and, as a result, is the oldest and one of the largest electric vehicle markets on earth. When the first major wave of EVs begins to retire from roads, it will happen in California.” Ford president and CEO, Jim Farley, said the scheme would help Ford "lead America’s transition to sustainable and carbon-neutral EV manufacturing and ultimately help make electric vehicles more environmentally responsible and affordable for our customers”. Ford invested $50m (£36.5m) in Redwood last year for a partnership to create a circular materials supply chain for production of EV batteries in the US. Relating articles in our archive US recycler Redwood expanding into battery materials business Ford invests $50m in Redwood Materials in partnership to boost US EV batteries supply chain

Mercedes-Benz is making a "high double-digit million euros” investment in Taiwan solid-state battery developer, ProLogium Technology, in a cooperation agreement to develop next-generation battery cells. As part of the deal, Mercedes-Benz will take a seat on the ProLogium board – and the investment will support technology development and ProLogium's goal of setting up production in Europe. The partners said they have agreed "milestones” to integrate solid-state battery technology into a range of passenger vehicles in the second half of the decade. Cell testing Mercedes-Benz said the first test vehicles equipped with solid-state batteries developed under the agreement are expected to be introduced in the coming years. The Germany-based car manufacturer plans to go all electric by 2030 – where "market conditions allow”.   ProLogium CEO and founder, Vincent Yang, said the companies had been working together on the testing of ProLogium’s EV battery cells since 2016. Mass production ProLogium built its pilot run production line in 2017 and Yang said the company expects to "ramp up” by the end of this year toward mass production. World Battery News reported last October that ProLogium had raised a total of $326m (£237m) in a funding round to develop mass production of its solid-state lithium ceramic battery (SSB) tech. According to ProLogium, its patented manufacturing processes consume around an eighth of the energy required to produce a regular sulfide SSB. Related articles in our archive Taiwan's ProLogium Technology secures investment boost to expand solid-state battery plans Mercedes-Benz joins battery cells consortium ACC as partners pledge to expand output

The Ultium Cells joint venture of General Motors and LG Energy Solution has revealed plans to invest $2.6bn (£1.9bn) to build its third battery cell manufacturing plant in the US. Lansing in Michigan has been selected to host the site – part of an overall investment of more than $7bn for GM, as the car giant ramps up its own battery cell and electric truck manufacturing capacity across four Michigan manufacturing sites. In Lansing, Ultium Cells expects to start site preparations this summer on land leased from GM, with battery cell production scheduled to begin in a 2.8 million-square-foot facility in late 2024.   Ultium Lansing will have 50 GWh of production when running at full capacity and will supply battery cells to GM assembly plants including Orion Assembly – GM’s third US assembly plant being transformed for production of Ultium-powered electric vehicles. Pouch-style cells Ultium president Kee Eun said the new plant "will lead us into a new era of manufacturing and sustainability”. The Lansing site joins Ultium’s battery cell manufacturing sites being built in the US states of Ohio and Tennessee. Ohio is scheduled for completion this year and Tennessee is set to open in late 2023. Ultium cells use a proprietary chemistry featuring LG Chem’s NCMA (nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminium) cathode, which requires 70% less cobalt than existing NCM cells. The joint venture said its batteries are "unique in the industry” because the large-format, pouch-style cells can be stacked vertically or horizontally inside the battery pack.   Energy options range from 50 to 200 kWh, which Ultium said could enable a GM-estimated EV range of up to 450 miles or more on a full charge with 0-60 miles-per-hour in three seconds. Related articles in our archive Siemens, LG Energy Solution team up for 'more intelligent, cleaner battery production' GM and LG Energy Solution investing $2.3bn in Tennessee to build second Ultium battery plant

UK batteries developer Britishvolt has signed a two-year agreement with the government-backed UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) to develop, assemble and manufacture next-generation sample cells for mass production and commercialisation. Britishvolt said initial work under the "multi-million-pound” agreement with UKBIC will focus on high nickel, increased energy density, materials to produce and test batteries with greater performance and range. And the batteries company revealed it has already successfully developed its first "production intent” next-generation lithium-ion cells that are "exceeding expectations”. The announcement comes just days after Britishvolt announced it had received an offer of government funding for its planned gigafactory in England – plus £1.7bn in backing from investors. 'Upskilling' UKBIC managing director Jeff Pratt said: "We are here to support UK companies scaling up their battery production and upskilling their workforce, and we welcome the opportunity to support Britishvolt on their journey.” Britishvolt was given the green light to build its £2.6bn gigafactory in Blyth, north-east England, last July. The company said the project will create around 3,000 jobs and another 5,000 indirect roles in the wider UK supply chain to build enough cells each year for more than 300,000 EV battery packs. Investors in Britishvolt include mining giant Glencore, as part of a partnership for the supply of responsibly-sourced cobalt and support in future recycling and reuse of battery materials. Related articles in our archive UK pledges funding for Britishvolt as £1.7bn gigafactory investment boost unveiled UK boosts funding for Faraday Battery Challenge

Honda is to jointly develop electric vehicle batteries with lithium metal company SES. The Japanese car giant revealed yesterday that the deal with SES, signed last month, is for joint R&D; to commercialise "safe, high-durability and high-capacity next-generation EV batteries”. Honda said it will also invest in SES – with plans to acquire about 2% of the shares when SES lists on the New York Stock Exchange, under a pending merger with special purpose acquisition company Ivanhoe Capital Acquisition Corp. Honda Motor’s managing executive officer in charge of electrification, Shinji Aoyama, said: "The battery is an essential component of EVs, and Honda has been concurrently looking into several options toward the realisation of high-capacity, safe and low-cost next-generation batteries.” 'Advanced technologies' "Honda will continue to establish collaborative relationships with companies which have advanced technologies, as needed, to offer highly-competitive and attractive EVs to our customers.” SES founder and CEO, Qichao Hu, said the company was "well positioned to execute our development and production plans to bring next generation battery technology to global EV manufacturers”. SES, which has operations in the US, Shanghai and Seoul, is also working with General Motors and Hyundai to deliver practical automotive ‘A samples’ next year, with the aim of starting commercial production in 2025. Last November, SES unveiled the "world’s largest” 107 Ah Li-metal battery – and said it was building a 300,000 square-foot gigafactory in Shanghai, China, which is scheduled for completion in 2023. Related articles in our archive SES unveils 'world's largest' Li-metal battery and builds gigafactory in Shanghai Lithium metal batteries developer SES going public in SPAC deal

Coatings and materials company PPG is partnering Germany’s Cellforce Group to develop sustainable battery cells for the electric vehicles and mobility sector. PPG said it will supply cathode binder systems that are free of N-Methylpyrrolidoe (NMP) solvent to the joint venture – in which Volkswagen-owned Porsche has a majority stake with battery cells specialist Cellforce. The collaboration will eliminate the use of NMP in producing the conductive-carbon slurry that forms cathodes for lithium-ion batteries, PPG said. NMP, which is widely used in electrode manufacturing, has previously been identified as a reproductive hazard in certain conditions by regulatory bodies, including the US Environmental Protection Agency. 'Critical technology' PPG said its broad-based materials expertise "covers virtually every area of lithium-ion battery design and construction”, aimed at boosting energy density, extending service life, improving safety and increasing manufacturing output while reducing the cost per kilowatt hour. PPG’s mobility general manager, Markus Vogt, said the companies would "define a new level of sustainability for the electro-mobility segment”. "The partnership enables collaboration to provide critical technology development to increase cell performance and safety,” Vogt said. Last month, Cellforce Group announced it would build its battery cells development and production facility at Zuffenhausen, in the Germany city of Stuttgart. Related articles in our archive BASF partnership with Porsche to develop high-performance Li-ion batteries Porsche to build 'high-performance' battery cells plant in Germany, says CEO