BMW bets on design and recycling, not mining, to lower battery costs

 

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BMW, the German luxury car manufacturer, is taking a different approach to reducing the cost of electric vehicle batteries. Rather than relying on mining for raw materials, the company is focusing on design improvements and recycling techniques.

BMW believes that the biggest obstacle to widespread adoption of electric vehicles is the high cost of batteries, which are currently made with materials like lithium, cobalt, and nickel that are largely sourced through mining. By designing more efficient batteries that require less of these materials, BMW hopes to significantly bring down the cost.

Furthermore, the company is also investing in recycling technology to recover materials from used batteries, creating a closed-loop system that reduces waste and dependency on mining. BMW’s recycling process, which involves dismantling old batteries and recovering raw materials like cobalt and nickel, has resulted in up to 96% of the materials being reused in new batteries.

This approach aligns with BMW’s goal of achieving a carbon-neutral supply chain by 2030. By reducing the need for mining and focusing on recycling, the company aims to lower its environmental impact while also reducing costs for consumers.

Other automakers, such as Tesla, have also invested in recycling technology and reducing the use of mined materials in their batteries. As electric vehicles become more popular, the industry will continue to explore ways to make them more sustainable and affordable.