- Expands on previous recycling agreement to create end-of-life
pathways for Toyota batteries used in hybrid and battery electric
vehicles
- Plans include agreement for Toyota to source Cathode Active
Material (CAM) and Anode copper foil from Redwood's recycling
activities for its supply chain
- Creates North American
circularity by recycling and reintroducing recovered metals back
into battery supply chain
PLANO,
Texas and CARSON CITY,
Nev., Nov. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/
-- Progressing closer to the goal of battery ecosystem
circularity, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) and Redwood
Materials announce an expanded recycling agreement that aims to
create pathways for automotive batteries used in Toyota's
electrified vehicles that have reached the end of their life. The
plan also includes an agreement for Toyota to source Cathode Active
Material (CAM) and Anode copper foil from Redwood's recycling
activities for Toyota's future, new automotive battery production.
The agreement builds on the collaboration with Redwood announced
last year for battery collection and recycling of Toyota's hybrid
and battery electric vehicle batteries.
"Working with Redwood Materials, we are creating a circular
supply chain to optimize logistics, expand refining, and ensure
that the valuable metals recovered can be reintroduced into our
future vehicles," said Christopher
Yang, Group Vice President, Business Development, Toyota
Motor North America. "Accelerating our recycling efforts and
domestic component procurement gets us closer to our ultimate goal
of creating a closed-loop battery ecosystem that will become
increasingly important as we add more vehicles with batteries to
roads across North America."
"Today, in collaboration with Redwood Materials, Toyota is
making a decisive move toward a sustainable future," stated
Cal Lankton, Redwood Materials'
Chief Commercial Officer. "They're not only working to ensure
responsible end-of-life management for their electric vehicles but
also planning to build their next generation of EVs, in part, by
using sustainable and domestically manufactured battery
components."
Toyota's automotive battery recycling needs are expected to grow
substantially in the coming years as more of its electrified
vehicles, such as first-generation Prius models introduced more
than 20 years ago, reach the end of their lifecycle. With a large
amount of Toyota's retiring fleet of electrified vehicles being in
California, Redwood's Nevada recycling facility will support
Toyota's North American supply chain, which will improve
sustainability, and help to enhance operational improvements across
the TMNA enterprise for a closed-loop battery ecosystem. Toyota's
battery lifecycle ecosystem is forecast to include the recycling,
remanufacturing and repurposing of the nearly five million
operating units, building toward Toyota's ultimate goals of carbon
neutrality for its global operations by 2035 and carbon neutrality
for its vehicles by 2050.
Toyota has agreed to develop a closed-loop framework that also
includes plans to procure Cathode Active Material (CAM) and copper
foil from Redwood as part of a long-term agreement. Based on the
parameters of the agreement, Cathode Active material recovered and
produced from Redwood's recycling activities are expected to feed
recycled material into future new battery production at Toyota
Battery Manufacturing, North
Carolina (TBMNC). The use of recycled materials is
anticipated to help increase the focus and relevance of domestic
supply chains versus the extensive, carbon-intensive current supply
chain of procuring outside of the United
States. Toyota plans to bring its nearly $14 billion TBMNC automotive battery
manufacturing facility online in 2025.
"Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina's start of
production is right around the corner, and we're thrilled to be
procuring critical battery components and materials to filter into
our battery ecosystem," said Sean
Suggs, TBMNC President. "We'll continue to work toward the
sourcing and recycling of battery materials here in the United States to maximize these precious
resources and reduce our carbon footprint in the process."
Redwood is making major investments to scale their technology
and facilities to supply U.S. battery cell manufacturers and
automakers with strategic battery materials produced domestically,
for the first time. Redwood continues to expand its Northern Nevada facility and will break ground
on its second Battery Materials Campus, outside Charleston, South Carolina, later this year.
Both of Redwood's campuses will recycle, refine, and manufacture
battery materials, aiming to scale production of components to 100
GWh annually. Based on this agreement, Redwood will provide
materials that include a minimum of 20 percent recycled nickel, 20
percent recycled lithium, and 50 percent recycled cobalt, in their
cathode and targeting recycled copper in their anode copper
foil.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in
North America for more than 65
years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation
mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than
1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the
design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and
trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota's 14th plant
in North Carolina will begin to
manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With
more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker,
Toyota currently offers 26 electrified options.
For more information about Toyota, visit
www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
For Toyota customer inquiries, please call
800-331-4331.
About Redwood Materials
Redwood Materials is creating a circular supply chain to
drive down the environmental footprint and cost of lithium-ion
batteries and the electric vehicles and sustainable energy storage
systems they power. Founded by JB Straubel, the Nevada-based company is offering large-scale
sources of anode and cathode materials produced at scale in the
U.S. for the first time, from recycled batteries. Redwood is
ramping its Northern Nevada
facility and is breaking ground on its second Battery Materials
Campus, outside Charleston, South
Carolina. Both of Redwood's campuses will recycle, refine,
and manufacture battery materials, aiming to scale production of
components to 100 GWh annually. More information is available at
redwoodmaterials.com.
Media Contacts:
Toyota Motor North America
Josh Burns
Joshua.Burns@Toyota.com
Redwood Materials
Alexis Georgeson
press@redwoodmaterials.com
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America