GM has established a strategic partnership with Lithion Recycling, bringing GM closer to building an integrated EV battery supply chain.
Lithion, which is based out of Quebec, is known for its efficient and cost-effective process for recycling lithium-ion batteries. Their process allows for up to 95% of the battery components to be recovered and treated for reuse by battery manufacturers.
GM Ventures, General Motors’ investment arm, will invest an as-yet undisclosed amount in Lithion to gain access to their recycling technology.
This partnership will first let Lithion and General Motors focus on validating the use of Lithion’s recovered battery materials in the making of new batteries, and then it will allow them to explore the potential to acquire battery materials here in North America. They will also invest in research and development to create more advanced recycling processes and collaborate on increasing the recyclability of future battery designs.
GM is looking to aggressively scale up its battery cell and EV production capacity in North America, after taking major steps to establish themselves early on as leaders in the EV race. Earlier this year, GM teamed up with Posco Chemicals to build a $500 million cathode active material plant in Quebec. A month later, the automaker announced that it was partnering with Honda to produce a new range of compact crossover EVs.
Meanwhile, Lithion plans to launch its first commercial recycling operations in Montreal by 2023, with the goal of eventually deploying its technology worldwide.
SOURCE | IMAGE: ELECTRICAUTONOMY.
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