Toyota Motor Corp., Toyota Chemical Engineering Co. Ltd., Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd. and Primearth EV Energy Co. Ltd. (PEVE) have jointly announced the launch of what the four companies claim is the first business to recycle nickel in used hybrid-vehicle nickel-metal-hydride batteries for use in new nickel-metal-hydride batteries.
A release by Toyota Motors notes that previously, nickel-metal-hydride batteries that were recovered were subjected to reduction treatment, with scrap containing nickel recycled as a raw material for stainless steel. Now, Toyota notes, with the development of high-precision nickel sorting and extraction technology, materials can be introduced directly into the nickel-refining process, achieving what the four parties are calling battery-to-battery recycling.
Toyota Motors has established the Toyota HV Call Center to help recover the batteries. The company also has constructed advanced recycling facilities designed for mass production in cooperation with Toyota Chemical Engineering, and is receiving support from Sumitomo Metal Mining on refining nickel for use in batteries. Toyota Motors will receive support from PEVE in regards to quality assurance in the manufacture of hybrid-vehicle nickel-metal-hydride batteries.
The new recycling system is being established in Japan, although Toyota Motors says it is conducting research on the possibility of introducing a similar system in other countries.