BMW Group is teaming up with South Korean waste management specialist SK Ecoplant to recycle electric vehicle batteries in Europe, marking the first such partnership for both companies with a major automaker.
The deal, executed through SK Ecoplant’s subsidiary SK tes, will see BMW supply used EV batteries and manufacturing scrap to SK’s Rotterdam facility starting in the second half of 2024. The 10,000-square-meter plant, which opened last September, is positioned as one of Europe’s largest battery recycling operations.
SK tes will process the materials to extract valuable metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel from the crushed battery waste, known as black mass. These recovered materials will then be used in the production of new EV batteries.
The Rotterdam facility has the capacity to recycle batteries from 40,000 electric vehicles annually and can produce up to 10,000 tons of black mass per year. The partnership represents a significant step in creating a circular supply chain for critical battery materials in Europe’s growing EV market.
SK Ecoplant, part of South Korea’s SK Group conglomerate, brings its expertise in construction engineering and waste management to the venture. The company aims to establish itself as a key player in Europe’s emerging battery recycling industry.
