Ecobat recycling EV batteries for Volkswagen

Volkswagen Group United Kingdom Ltd. (VWG UK) has signed an agreement with Ecobat, a leader in battery recycling, to collect and recycle electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

Ecobat has a longstanding relationship with VWG UK dating back to 2014 when it started collecting lead acid batteries for TPS, the Volkswagen Group Genuine Parts provider to the independent motor trade.

The contract was expanded in 2019, when Ecobat started working with high-voltage batteries, and since the company’s UK Diagnostics and Disassembly Centre in Darlaston in the West Midlands was opened, it has processed and upgraded many thousands of batteries.

Under this latest agreement, Ecobat will collect EV batteries to recycle lithium-ion battery materials. The company will collect high-voltage batteries from dealers, distributors, and end-of-life recycling centres using Ecobat’s ADR compliant vehicles.

Batteries will be processed at Ecobat’s new UK lithium-ion recycling centre. This is Ecobat’s third lithium-ion recycling facility, in addition to facilities operating in Germany and Arizona, USA.

Elliott Ethridge, vice president of global sales for Ecobat, commented: “We have been recycling lead batteries for VWG UK for a decade, and we are delighted to be able to extend our relationship to recycle EV lithium-ion batteries.

“Lithium-ion is a fast-growing technology, and our recycling operations can handle everything from small-format batteries to EV batteries.

“We also recover scrap, byproducts, end-of-life, and damaged products to help make lithium-ion battery production more sustainable.

“Our expertise in recycling and recovering scarce battery materials will benefit both Volkswagen Group and the environment.”