Mercedes-Benz begins building battery recycling factory in southern Germany

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Mercedes-Benz laid the foundation stone for a sustainable battery recycling factory in Kuppenheim, southern Germany on Friday.

This pilot plant has an annual production capacity of 2500 tons and will produce more than 50,000 batteries for the new Mercedes-Benz electric cars.

Test vehicles will be able to recycle the batteries, as well as start-up and business batteries. Based on the success of the pilot, the production volume could be increased in the medium and long term.

Commissioning for the first stage of the plant – mechanical dismantling – is scheduled to begin in December this year. After negotiations with the government, the pilot plant will be complete in the next few months.

Kuppenheim’s plant is already running a carbon-neutral operation using solar and green power. As part of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection, it is currently being constructed.

“We are sending an important signal of innovative strength in Baden-Württemberg and Germany for sustainable electromobility,” said Jörg Burzer, management board member of Mercedes-Benz in production and supply chain management.

Thekla Walker, minister for the environment, climate and energy in Baden-Württemberg, said she was pleased that Mercedes-Benz was promoting the topic of the circular economy.

“This is of particular importance in view of the limited availability of important raw materials that are in high demand, such as lithium, cobalt and nickel,” She said.

(Reporting and editing by Emma-Victoria Farr. Edited by Kirsten Donovan.