For the first time, automotive and battery manufacturers can recycle used or defective electric vehicle (EV) batteries on an industrial scale using TRUMPF’s advanced laser technology. The high-tech company has developed laser systems that safely cut used batteries and extract valuable raw materials from battery foils. “Recycling batteries makes ecological sense and, thanks to laser technology, can now also be implemented economically. TRUMPF can draw on extensive expertise in laser welding and cutting for the production of e-car batteries. We have been working with all leading car and battery manufacturers for years. We have incorporated this experience into the development of the new processes,” said Hagen Zimer, CEO of Laser Technology at TRUMPF.
The company will showcase its innovative laser processes for the first time at the Battery Show Europe 2024 in Stuttgart, highlighting a significant breakthrough in battery recycling.
A Large Market for Recycling E-Car Batteries
The demand for raw materials such as cobalt, lithium, and nickel, essential for electric car batteries, is soaring. Extracting these materials is costly and often unsustainable, coupled with long and uncertain supply chains. The European Union mandates a recycling rate of up to 90 percent for batteries, pressing the industry to recycle on a large scale. “The market for laser processes for recycling batteries, which is currently emerging, is huge,” said Alexander Sauer, head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA. In Europe alone, the industry will need to recycle 570,000 tons of battery material annually by 2030.
Lasers Ensure High Recycling Rates
New battery cells’ electrodes are created as foil strips coated with precious materials such as cobalt and nickel. In future recycling plants, laser processes will efficiently remove the wafer-thin layer from these foils, allowing manufacturers to collect the valuable dust and reuse it for new coatings. Previously, kilometers of coated foils often ended up as waste.
Additionally, laser technology could transform the recycling of entire battery packs. It enables efficient, automated dismantling, such as removing battery covers or cutting off cables, sorting raw materials, and separating reusable battery cells. Traditionally, dismantling EV batteries has been a laborious, slow, and sometimes dangerous manual process.
TRUMPF’s laser technology promises to make battery recycling faster, safer, and more economically viable, marking a significant leap forward for the EV industry and sustainable practices.
