With an annual recycling capacity of 2,756 tons, the plant is designed to recycle over 96 percent of battery materials efficiently.

The Fraunhofer Institute projects that by 2030, Europe will need to recycle approximately 420,000 tons of old batteries annually, underscoring the growing importance of such facilities.

The facility employs a mechanical-hydrometallurgical process, which is more energy-efficient and generates less waste than traditional methods, recovering valuable materials for future electric vehicle production.

As the EV battery recycling industry is expected to grow, this facility positions Mercedes to meet increasing demand for battery materials as more batteries reach the end of their life cycles.

Mercedes aims to decouple growth from resource consumption, with plans for recycling to become more economically viable than sourcing raw materials from the market.

Mercedes has inaugurated a new battery recycling factory in Kuppenheim, Germany, marking a significant step towards sustainability in the electric vehicle sector.

The facility was officially opened on October 21, 2024, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz highlighting its importance for achieving climate targets and promoting a circular economy.

CEO Ola Källenius described the plant as a milestone in enhancing the sustainability of raw materials used in electric vehicles.

Mercedes invested tens of millions of euros in the plant, supported by nearly 17 million euros from the federal government as part of a scientific research initiative.

During the opening ceremony, Chancellor Scholz emphasized the critical role of battery recycling in reducing waste and enhancing European autonomy in sourcing essential materials.

Recycling is vital for reducing waste from electric vehicles and decreasing dependence on external sources for key materials like cobalt, nickel, and lithium.

The opening of this plant comes at a crucial time for the European electric vehicle battery sector, which is facing challenges such as declining sales and job cuts among manufacturers.