Mercedes-Benz begins construction of new German battery recycling plant

Car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has broken ground on its new battery recycling facility in Kuppenheim, Germany to strengthen the site and accelerate the company’s sustainable business strategy “Electric Only”.

The exact investment details of the battery recycling project were not disclosed.

The hydrometallurgy pilot plant is being built in phases and anticipates to minimize resource consumption and create closed-loop recycling of battery raw materials.

The new recycling factory with an estimated annual capacity of 2,500 tons, will manufacture over 50,000 battery modules for Mercedes-EQ vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz said the production volumes could be scaled up in the medium to long term based on the findings of the pilot factory.

The first phase of the German battery recycling plant includes the mechanical dismantling of electric vehicle batteries and anticipates to increase production at the end of this year.

Mercedes-Benz begins construction of new German battery recycling plant in Kuppenheim. Image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.

Jörg Burzer — Mercedes-Benz Management Board Member said: “This foundation symbolises the decisive step towards closing the material cycle for batteries from Mercedes-Benz.

“With a recycling rate of more than 96 percent, a ‘mine of tomorrow’ is being created here in Kuppenheim.

“The innovative technology approach enables us to incorporate the valuable raw materials into new Mercedes-EQ vehicles.”

In future, the Kuppenheim battery recycling site operations range from dismantling at the module level, to shredding and drying and processing of battery-grade materials.

The construction of the CO2-neutral plant is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection as part of a scientific research project.

Mercedes-Benz is partnering with Primobius, a joint venture of private German plant manufacturer SMS group and Australian project developer Neometals, for the development of the Kuppenheim battery recycling plant.