General Motors makes strategic investment in Lithion Recycling

General Motors says it is making a strategic investment in Quebec-based Lithion Recycling Inc. to create a closed-loop ecosystem using Lithion's advanced EV battery recycling technology, Callanish said.

The investment will be made by GM Ventures, the US automaker's investment arm. It is investing in the Lithion Series A funding round.

The collaboration between the two companies will include validation of remanufactured Lithion battery materials for use in the manufacture of new batteries and the possibility of acquiring battery materials, as well as joint investment in research and development for both recycling processes and reuse of future battery designs.

“The collaboration with GM marks a key step in Lithion’s commercial development and is a pioneer in a much needed breakthrough in vehicle electrification, bringing cost-effective and sustainable cycling to the electric vehicle battery industry,” said Benoît Couture, President and CEO of Lithion. “This partnership underscores our commitment to ensuring the transition to a low-carbon economy while combating climate change.”

“In Lithion technology, we see an opportunity to recover and reuse raw materials in our Ultium batteries, which makes the electric vehicles we manufacture even greener and helps reduce costs,” said Jeff Morrison, GM vice president of global purchasing and supply chain.

In August, Ultium Cells, a joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution, opened its first battery manufacturing plant in the US, with two additional plants under construction. A fourth planned battery plant will bring GM's total battery capacity in the US to 160 GWh.

In 2023, Lithion will launch its first commercial recycling operations. The opening of this plant with a capacity of 7,500 tons of lithium-ion batteries per year will be followed by the launch of Lithion's first hydrometallurgical plant in 2025. By 2035, it is planned to commission 25 plants.