Photo Source/Copyright: Stellantis Media
Stellantis announced the development of two new battery-electric vehicle (BEV) production plants in Kokomo, Indiana, following the execution of an agreement with Samsung SDI. Electric power is what the new auto industry is all about, and automakers need a lot of energy to power their new BEV lineup. It is advantageous to secure these plants with Samsung SDI, but what will happen to all of these BEV batteries when they run out of power or are no longer functional? How does it impact the natural world? Stellantis said that it and Orano had signed a memorandum of understanding to explore a cooperative venture for recovering scrap and batteries from gigafactories that are nearing the end of their useful lives for electric vehicles.
Who is Orano?
When it comes to handling nuclear materials, Orano is a reputable global player. The corporation, which employs 17,000 people in total, develops state-of-the-art technologies to provide customers with high-value goods and services across the nuclear fuel cycle, which includes (1) mining, (2) milling, (3) conversion, (4) enrichment, (5) fuel manufacture, and (6) electricity generation. Many nuclear power plants operate in this manner, but for the time being, utilizing nuclear fission rather than fusion. Orano is a solid partner in this joint venture to further utilize its low-carbon technology for material recovery from lithium-ion batteries since it is committed to comprehending the transformation and control of nuclear materials.
Orano and Stellantis
Naturally, we just don’t want to discard an outdated battery. A battery still has some life left in it even if it isn’t operating at maximum capacity. One clever technique to recycle BEV batteries is to save what materials are still functional and can be used to make new batteries. According to Stellantis and Orano, recycling BEV batteries could result in metal recovery rates of above 90%. They can be classified as either “active mass” or “black mass.” In order to complete the cycle of activities, Orano intends to construct a hydrometallurgical factory in Dunkirk, France, which will aid in converting the materials gathered into new BEV batteries for upcoming models.
This novel hydrometallurgy-based technique will assist Stellantis in complying with a regulation set by the European Commission regarding the percentage of batteries that are recycled into electric vehicle batteries. In the car sector, the European Commission is a powerful player. That match, which is credited with decreasing the carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution limit several years ago, ignited the race between plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
In addition, the joint venture plans to produce novel cathode materials—electric power—made from components of lithium-ion batteries. Orano is a major partner in the joint venture that manages the complete process, from battery recycling to the creation of cathode materials, to guarantee that the end-life of these is also handled appropriately. By 2038, Stellantis wants to be carbon neutral as a company, therefore it presents its Dare Forward 2030 plan to grow along with the industry.
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Terry is an avid Nascar fan who grew up attending races at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, just down the road from his hometown of China Grove, NC. Terry currently resides in Wellington and has been writing for 15 years. He also enjoys watching the Road Runner Looney Tunes cartoon with his two sons in his spare time.