Stellantis to begin EV battery recycling joint venture with nuclear materials operator Orano
Stellantis announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with hydrometallurgical metal recovery expert Orano, to establish a joint venture focused on recycling end-of-life EV batteries and production waste materials from its plants around the world.
Stellantis remains a globally recognized automotive conglomerate with several marques under its umbrella that are now transitioning into EVs. As a larger automaker, Stellantis has delved into adjacent and emerging technologies as well, including EV battery production, a new fast charging network in North America, and has even invested in eVTOL startups like Archer Aviation.
Stellantis is currently chasing a goal to reach complete carbon neutrality by 2038 as part of its Dare Forward 2030 strategy, in which 50% of US vehicle sales and 100% of European sales are to be BEVs by the end of the decade. Part of that process includes a previous MOU announced this past June to form a joint venture with Galloo to implement a service for recycling end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) from the Stellantis’ brands, and possibly other automakers.
Today, Stellantis announced that another joint venture is in the works with nuclear material handler Orano, to begin recycling EV battery materials and other production waste.
Stellantis signs MOU with Orano to begin battery recycling
Per Stellantis, both it and Orano and have signed a memorandum of understanding to create the new joint venture, which will focus on the recycling of battery materials from the former’s production facilities in Europe and North America.
Stellantis shared that the recycling will be based upon a low-carbon process developed by Orano, which not only enables the recovery of all the components within end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, but also supports the manufacturing of new materials for battery cathodes.
In this instance, the new JV will not only help Stellantis on its way to carbon neutrality, but should result in the acquisition of supplies of precious recycled materials crucial for a circular EV battery chain, including cobalt, nickel, and lithium.
Stellantis states that Orano’s recycling process will also produce materials known as “black mass,” which can eventually be refined and reused in future EV batteries once Orano’s planned hydrometallurgical site is complete in Dunkirk, France. Per Orano Group’s director of Innovation, R&D and nuclear medicine, magnets and batteries, Guillaume Dureau:
We are delighted with this partnership concluded with a major player such as Stellantis and to be able to work together on the recycling of used electric batteries. We are proud to bring our expertise and know-how, with our innovative and disruptive process which allows a true closed loop. Orano continues its commitment to developing a low-carbon economy with the recycling of strategic materials necessary for the energy transition and the circular economy.
In addition to recycling Stellantis’ own battery materials and production waste, the joint venture partners say they will provide the automaker’s parters and other OEMs with battery recycling services.
If and when approved, Stellantis expects its new joint venture to contribute significantly to its circular economy business unit, which is already planning to increase recycling-related turnover by tenfold and generate over $2.1 billion in turnover for the economy.
The JV will use Stellantis’ existing facilities and is expected to begin operations in 2026.
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After a month off trying to wrap our heads around all the chaos surrounding EVs, solar, and everything else in Washington, we’re back with the biggest EV news stories of the day from Tesla, Ford, Volvo, and everyone else on today’s hiatus-busting episode of Quick Charge!
It just gets worse and worse for the Tesla true believers – especially those willing to put their money where Elon’s mouth is! One believer is set to lose nearly $50,000 betting on Tesla’s ability to deliver a Robotaxi service by the end of June (didn’t happen), and the controversial CEO’s most recent spat with President Trump had TSLA down nearly 5% in pre-morning trading.
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Hyundai is getting ready to shake things up. A new electric crossover SUV, likely the Hyundai IONIQ 2, is set to debut in the coming months. It will sit below the Kona Electric as Hyundai expands its entry-level EV lineup.
Is Hyundai launching the IONIQ 2 in 2026?
After launching the Inster late last year, Hyundai is already preparing to introduce a new entry-level EV in Europe.
Xavier Martinet, President and CEO of Hyundai Europe, confirmed that the new EV will be revealed “in the next few months.” It will be built in Europe and scheduled to go on sale in mid-2026.
Hyundai’s new electric crossover is expected to be a twin to the Kia EV2, which will likely arrive just ahead of it next year.
It will be underpinned by the same E-GMP platform, which powers all IONIQ and Kia EV models (EV3, EV4, EV5, EV6, and EV9).
Like the Kia EV3, it will likely be available with either a 58.3 kWh or 81.4 kWh battery pack option. The former provides a WLTP range of 267 miles while the latter is rated with up to 372 miles. All trims are powered by a single electric motor at the front, producing 201 hp and 209 lb-ft of torque.
Although it may share the same underpinnings as the EV2, Hyundai’s new entry-level EV will feature an advanced new software and infotainment system.
According to Autocar, the interior will represent a “step change” in terms of usability and features. The new system enables new functions, such as ambient lighting and sounds that adjust depending on the drive mode.
It’s expected to showcase Hyundai’s powerful new Pleos software and infotainment system. As an end-to-end software platform, Pleos connects everything from the infotainment system (Pleos Connect) to the Vehicle Operating System (OS) and the cloud.
Pleos is set to power Hyundai’s upcoming software-defined vehicles (SDVs) with new features like autonomous driving and real-time data analysis.
As an Android-based system, Pleos Connect features a “smartphone-like UI” with new functions including multi-window viewing and an AI voice assistant.
The new electric crossover is expected to start at around €30,000 ($35,400), or slightly less than the Kia EV3, priced from €35,990 ($42,500). It will sit between the Inster and Kona Electric in Hyundai’s lineup.
Hyundai said that it would launch the first EV with its next-gen infotainment system in Q2 2026. Will it be the IONIQ 2? Hyundai is expected to unveil the new entry-level EV at IAA Mobility in September. Stay tuned for more info. We’ll keep you updated with the latest.
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Tesla has unveiled its lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery cell factory in Nevada and claims that it is nearly ready to start production.
Like several other automakers using LFP cells, Tesla relies heavily on Chinese manufacturers for its battery cell supply.
Tesla’s cheapest electric vehicles all utilize LFP cells, and its entire range of energy storage products, Megapacks and Powerwalls, also employ the more affordable LFP cell chemistry from Chinese manufacturers.
This reliance on Chinese manufacturers is less than ideal and particularly complicated for US automakers and battery pack manufacturers like Tesla, amid an ongoing trade war between the US and virtually the entire world, including China.
As of last year, a 25% tariff already applied to battery cells from China, but this increased to more than 80% under Trump before he paused some tariffs on China. It remains unclear where they will end up by the time negotiations are complete and the trade war is resolved, but many expect it to be higher.
Prior to Trump taking power, Tesla had already planned to build a small LFP battery factory in the US to avoid the 25% tariffs.
The automaker had secured older manufacturing equipment from one of its battery cell suppliers, CATL, and planned to deploy it in the US for small-scale production.
Tesla has now released new images of the factory in Nevada and claimed that it is “nearing completion”:
Here are a few images from inside the factory (via Tesla):
Previous reporting stated that Tesla aims to produce about 10 GWh of LFP battery cells per year at the new factory.
The cells are expected to be used in Tesla’s Megapack, produced in the US. Tesla currently has a capacity to produce 40 GWh of Megapacks annually at its factory in California. The company is also working on a new Megapack factory in Texas.
Ford is also developing its own LFP battery cell factory in Michigan, but this facility is significantly larger, with a planned production capacity of 35 GWh.
Electrek’s Take
It’s nice to see this in the US. LFP was a US/Canada invention, with Arumugam Manthiram and John B. Goodenough doing much of the early work, and researchers in Quebec making several contributions to help with commercialization.
But China saw the potential early and invested heavily in volume manufacturing of LFP cells and it now dominates the market.
Tesla is now producing most of its vehicles with LFP cells and all its stationary energy storage products.
It makes sense to invest in your own production. However, Tesla is unlikely to catch up to BYD and CATL, which dominate LFP cell production.
The move will help Tesla avoid tariffs on a small percentage of its Megapacks produced in the US. Ford’s effort is more ambitious.
It’s worth noting that both Ford’s and Tesla’s LFP plants were planned before Trump’s tariffs, which have had limited success in bringing manufacturing back to the US.
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