Recycling EVs in Germany: A New Era for Automotive Waste

Electric vehicles (EVs) are on the rise across Europe, but their lifespan is finite. As more EVs reach the end of their road, Germany is beginning to tap into a new frontier: EV recycling. In Meppen, near the Dutch border, automobile recycler Kempers is leading the charge. The company salvages usable parts from scrapped EVs, photographing and cataloging them for resale to private customers, garages, and insurance companies. While salvaging isn’t new, the growing demand for used EV parts in Germany is. Supply chain disruptions since the pandemic have made used parts more attractive, and insurance companies are increasingly turning to them for repairs.

Challenges and Innovations in Battery Recycling

Despite this progress, Germany lags behind its neighbors in recycling rates. Of the 50 million registered vehicles in the country, only 300,000 are recycled annually—compared to 1.4 million out of 14 million in France. Many damaged vehicles are exported instead of being processed domestically. However, the tide is turning with the emergence of companies like ReLionBat, which specializes in recovering critical raw materials from EV batteries. Located next to Kempers, ReLionBat processes up to 30,000 tons of batteries annually, extracting valuable elements like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Yet, the final stage of recycling—processing the so-called “black mass”—still takes place abroad due to a lack of facilities in Europe.

EVs: A Hidden Treasure Trove of Raw Materials

Electric vehicles are more than just a green transportation solution—they’re also a rich source of raw materials. As battery-powered devices and vehicles proliferate, so does the potential to reclaim scarce resources. ReLionBat’s operations show that even discarded batteries hold significant value. With EU recycling quotas on the horizon and demand for materials like lithium and cobalt surging, EVs are poised to become a cornerstone of Europe’s circular economy. The challenge now is scaling up infrastructure to keep this valuable resource within European borders.

This video summary was created by AI from the original DW script. It was edited by a journalist before publication.