Getting reborn is at the center of many world religions. And it turns out that it’s also at the center of Nissan’s philosophy for it’s EV batteries after they’ve reached the end of a useful life. 

 

Instead of being destined for landfill, Nissan aims to send batteries from its 2011 Nissan Leaf to 4R Energy Corp, a newly formed company aimed at commercialising used lithium-ion batteries for electric cars. 

 

Founded by Nissan Japan and trading house Sumitomo Corporation, the company will act as a reprocessing agent for used Lithium Ion batteries otherwise destined for an unknown future. 

 

Specializing in the packs found in Nissan’s 2011 Leaf, Nissan’s up-and-coming compact EV and any other all electric vehicles Nissan brings to market in the next few years, the plant will provide a safe disposal, re-use and recycling of the battery materials. 

 

Details are sketchy at the moment, but it is anticipated that 4R Energy Corp will likely offer disposal facilities to other electric car companies, including Nissan’s French partner Renault SA.

 

Rather than automatically dismantle and recycle every pack which is delivered to the facility 4R Energy Corp will examine each car battery pack as it arrives. Depending on the condition of the pack, it will then be either resold, repaired or broken down for recycling. 

 

Recycled components will then be passed back to Nissan for remanufacture into new battery packs. 

 

Extracting Lithium Carbonate From Brine

Extracting Lithium Carbonate From Brine

Nissan hopes that its latest venture will help lower the consumer price of Lithium Ion batteries, which are still prohibitively high for use in a mid-priced car.  

 

As more batteries are made and recycled the economies of scale come into play.

 

That, of course, ends in cheaper battery packs for electric vehicles and lower production costs. In turn, that can only help lower the cost of purchasing an EV. 

 

It’s kind of fun too. In five years time, your brand new city electric car could house a battery pack made of the recycled innards of a Tesla battery pack. We can only wonder. 

[Nissan] via [Reuters]