Lithion has been selected by Hyundai Auto Canada Corp., the Canadian subsidiary of the South Korean automotive manufacturer, as its official partner for the collection and recycling of electric vehicle (EV) batteries and modules across Canada. Under the new agreement, Lithion becomes an official recycling partner for over 250 Hyundai and Genesis dealerships across Canada.
When a vehicle’s battery reaches the end of its life cycle, dealership personnel can coordinate directly with Lithion. The company will collect and transport the used batteries to its recycling facility in Saint-Bruno for processing. The two partners previously signed an initial agreement in 2021 to validate Lithion’s extraction technology.
Yves Noël, Vice President and Chief Business Development Officer at Lithion, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “For many years, Lithion has been privileged and fortunate to partner globally and locally with Hyundai, a visionary company dedicated to finding sustainable circular economy solutions for its lithium-ion batteries. This partnership paves the way forward globally and here in Canada by reaffirming Lithion’s critical, pivotal, and essential role in the battery manufacturing value chain.”
Lithion has been making significant strides in the battery recycling industry. The company aims to recover up to 98% of the minerals contained in EV batteries and 95% of battery components. Earlier this year, Lithion inaugurated a new recycling plant in Saint-Bruno in the greater Montreal area, designed to process over 15,000 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries annually from electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as production rejects.
Ken Maisonville, Executive Director of Customer Experience and Aftersales at Hyundai Auto Canada, highlighted the importance of the collaboration: “As a leader in the transition towards electrification, it is important for us to ensure that the electric vehicles we sell into the market have the lowest carbon footprint as possible. This partnership with Lithion allows us to ensure optimal recycling of our batteries, all while doing business with a Canadian company.”
Since the opening of the Saint-Bruno facility, Lithion’s commercial operations have expanded significantly, and the company has secured several multi-year contracts with various partners.
Source: Lithion Technologies
