German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz has opened Europe's first battery recycling plant with an integrated mechanical-hydrometallurgical process making it the first car manufacturer worldwide to close the battery recycling loop with its own in-house facility.

The recycling plant in Kuppenheim, southern Germany, creates a genuine circular economy. Unlike existing established processes, the expected recovery rate of the mechanical-hydrometallurgical recycling plant is more than 96 percent. Valuable and scarce raw materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt can be recovered – in a way which is suitable for use in new batteries for future all-electric Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The company has invested tens of millions of euros in the construction of the new battery recycling plant and thus in the value creation in Germany. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Baden-Württemberg's Environment Minister Thekla Walker visited the plant for the opening ceremony in Kuppenheim, Baden.

Ola Kaellenius, Chairman of the Board of Management, Mercedes-Benz Group said, “Mercedes-Benz has set itself the goal of building the most desirable cars in a sustainable way. As a pioneer in automotive engineering, Europe's first integrated mechanical-hydrometallurgical battery recycling factory marks a key milestone towards enhancing raw-materials sustainability. Together with our partners from industry and science, we are sending a strong signal of innovative strength for sustainable electric mobility and value creation in Germany and Europe.”

Ola Scholz said, “The future of the automobile is electric, and batteries are an essential component of this. To produce batteries in a resource-conserving and sustainable way, recycling is also key. The circular economy is a growth engine and, at the same time, an essential building block for achieving our climate targets! I congratulate Mercedes-Benz for its courage and foresight shown by this investment in Kuppenheim. Germany remains a cutting-edge market for new and innovative technologies.”

The luxury carmaker has joined hands with Primobius, a joint venture between German plant and mechanical engineering company SMS Group and Asutralian process technology developer Neometals, which is its technology partner for the battery recycling factory.

The plant is receiving funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action as part of a scientific research project with three German universities. The project looks at the entire process chain for recycling, including logistics and reintegration concepts. The partners are thus making an important contribution to future scaling of the battery recycling industry in Germany.

Integrated mechanical-hydrometallurgical

For the first time in Europe, the Mercedes-Benz battery recycling plant covers all steps from shredding battery modules to drying and processing active battery materials. The mechanical process sorts and separates plastics, copper, aluminium and iron in a complex, multi-stage process. The downstream hydrometallurgical process is dedicated to the so-called black mass. These are the active materials that make up the electrodes of the battery cells. The valuable metals cobalt, nickel and lithium are extracted individually in a multi-stage chemical process. These recyclates are of battery quality and therefore suitable for use in the production of new battery cells.

Unlike the pyrometallurgy established in Europe at present, the hydrometallurgical process is less-intensive in terms of energy consumption and material waste. Its low process temperatures of up to 80deg Celsius mean it consumes less energy. In addition, like all Mercedes-Benz production plants, the recycling plant operates in a net carbon-neutral manner. It is supplied with 100 percent green electricity. The roof area of the 6800 square-metre building is equipped with a photovoltaic system with a peak output of more than 350 kilowatts.

The Mercedes-Benz battery recycling plant in Kuppenheim has an annual capacity of 2,500 tonnes. The recovered materials feed into the production of more than 50,000 battery modules for new all-electric Mercedes-Benz models. The knowledge gained could help scale up production volumes in the medium to long term.

Holistic approach

Mercedes-Benz takes a holistic approach to the circularity of battery systems and considers three core topics: circular design, value retention and closing the material loop.

With its Design for Circularity approach, the OEM is taking the entire battery technology value chain into account from the outset. At the Mercedes-Benz eCampus in Stuttgart-Unterturkheim, which opened in 2024, circular thinking flows into the development of new battery cells. Battery production for electric Mercedes-Benz vehicles is net carbon-neutral in battery factories on three continents. Local battery production is a key factor for the success of the Mercedes-Benz sustainable business strategy.

In line with circular thinking and to conserve resources, the company offers reconditioned batteries as spare parts for all its electric vehicles. In addition, its Mercedes-Benz Energy subsidiary has established a successful business model with large-scale stationary storage applications. Batteries that are no longer suitable for vehicle use can enjoy a second life as part of an energy storage system.

Jorg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group, responsible for Production, Quality & Supply Chain Management stated “We are systematically deepening our expertise in the battery value chain. Following the opening of the Mercedes-Benz eCampus for development of new battery cell chemistries in Stuttgart-Unterturkheim, we are now sustainably closing the raw materials loop in Kuppenheim. The innovative technology enables us to recover valuable raw materials from the battery with the highest possible degree of purity. This turns today's batteries into tomorrow's sustainable mine for raw materials. The new battery recycling plant strengthens the role of the Mercedes-Benz production network with vehicle and drivetrain plants in Europe.”

Thekla Walker MdL, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Energy Baden-Wurttemberg said, “Battery recycling is of great importance to Baden-Wurttemberg as a state with such a strong automotive sector. Closing the loop on the value chain reduces dependencies, increases resilience in times of crisis and can smooth peaks and troughs in the availability of raw materials. Mercedes-Benz is a pioneer in this respect: With the integrated battery recycling plant, Mercedes-Benz has developed a sustainable approach for dealing with limited resources and is therefore making a valuable contribution to a truly circular economy. We are proud that in this federal state of innovators, we are also at the forefront in this field.”
 

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Ahmedabad-based electric two-wheeler brand Avore Electric launched its first electric motorcycle – the Avore Electric EX at prices starting at INR 124,999 (ex-showroom).

The e-motorcycle is available in three variants – the EX 2S, EX 2 and EX 1. The model range was developed over three years using the company's indigenous AVORE Source technology stack and AVR vehicle platform. The development process involved over 120 intellectual property filings across nine vehicle systems, including the battery management system, motor controller, onboard charger and operating system.

The EVs use a rare-earth-free Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) with peak power output ranging between 7.5 kW and 10.5 kW depending on the variant, while all three models produce 250 Nm of peak wheel torque.

The EX 2S attains a claimed top speed of 114 kmph, whereas the EX 2 and EX 1 reach top speeds of 100 kmph. The powertrain utilises an integrated motor and swingarm structure to manage chassis balance and weight distribution.

The EX 2S and EX 2 carry IDC-certified range ratings of 260 km and 255 km respectively, while the EX 1 carries an IDC-certified range rating of 160 km. All variants include a 1500W onboard charger compatible with standard 5A and 15A domestic sockets, charging the battery from 20 per cent to 80 percent in two hours and reaching a full charge in a claimed four hours. The battery pack is homologated by NATRAX, and the battery management system is validated by ICAT.

Software systems integrated into the platform include the AVORE SENSE operating system, an artificial intelligence (AI) companion named Avore Synapse and an automatic manual gear mode. The platform complies with AIS 156 and AIS 038 safety standards and underwent 100,000 km of road testing alongside 2,500 hours of dynamometer testing prior to commercial introduction.

Priyank Rakholiya, Founder, Avore Electric, said, "We dedicated three years to research, development, testing, and validation before the launch of the EX so as to ensure class-leading engineering and innovation. We are ensuring global-levels of safety and performance, while pushing the frontiers of Indian-developed electric mobility technology stacks that deliver reliability, consistency, and economic viability. Our goal is to improve adoption and accessibility to world-class electric mobility solutions for every Indian and we are confident that the EX is just the start of our journey towards that direction."

Bookings for the EX series have opened on the manufacturer's website at an initial reservation amount of INR 799, with customer deliveries scheduled to begin in two months. The battery pack is supplied with a 5-year or 60,000 km warranty.

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Energy In Motion, a provider of integrated electric mobility solutions for long-haul freight transportation, has executed an agreement with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation to establish and operate charging and battery swapping infrastructure for heavy commercial vehicles at retail outlets across India.

As per the understanding, Energy In Motion will deploy swap-and-charge hubs on freight corridors including Mumbai–Pune, Delhi–Jaipur and Chennai–Bangalore over the next 18 to 24 months. These stations will support vehicles such as the Ashwa 55-tonne e-tractor, providing battery exchange capability in 7 minutes.

Energy In Motion manages battery inventory and hardware, while Hindustan Petroleum Corporation provides space and utilities across its network of over 25,000 retail outlets.

Narendra Murkumbi, Managing Director, Energy In Motion, said, “Charging infrastructure succeeds or fails on reliability. Working with HPCL allows us to place charging and swapping where drivers already stop – sites with power, space, amenities, safety systems and staff on duty. Combining our battery and fleet expertise with HPCL’s nationwide retail network lets us build dependable swap-and-charge hubs on the corridors that carry India’s freight and to do it at the pace the transition demands.”

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Hero MotoCorp's electric mobility brand, VIDA, has made its international market entry into Nepal through a partnership with CG Motors.

The launch was announced by Kausalya Nandakumar, Chief Business Officer, Emerging Mobility Business Unit, Hero MotoCorp and Nirvana Chaudhary, Managing Director, Chaudhary Group.

The introduction features the VIDA VX2 Evooter range – comprising the VX2 Plus and VX2 Go variants – alongside the VIDA DIRT.E K3 youth off-roader. The VX2 Plus features a 4.4 kWh setup, delivering a 140 km range and a top speed of 90 kmph, while the VX2 Go uses a 2.2 kWh battery with a 75 km range. The DIRT.E K3 is an electric off-roader equipped with a 350W motor and app-based parental controls.

Kausalya Nandakumar said, “This launch marks a proud and defining moment as VIDA goes global. We are thrilled to take the very best of our engineering and design capabilities beyond India, starting with Nepal, a strategically crucial market where riders are quickly adopting smart electric mobility. The VIDA VX2 EVOOTER range and the VIDA DIRT.E K3 are built to redefine the future of mobility, and through our collaboration with CG Motors, we are ensuring that the Nepalese customers have access to premium, reliable, and technologically advanced riding experience.”

Nirvana Chaudhary added, “The entry of VIDA perfectly aligns with Nepal's shift towards sustainable mobility. By offering advanced electric products & solutions tailored for both, everyday commuters and the next generation of riders, this product launch redefines our two-wheeler landscape. CG Motors is proud to strengthen its partnership with Hero MotoCorp and partner with VIDA to drive our nation's green transition forward."

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Pune-headquartered electric commercial vehicle manufacturer EKA Mobility has announced that Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar, recently flagged off 15 EKA Mobility electric buses in Zanzibar. The commercial operations for the e-buses is scheduled to begin on 1 August 2026.

The deployment forms part of an initial order of 35 e-buses, with the fleet expected to expand to 150 units by the end of the year.

EKA Mobility is collaborating with Global Rapid Transport and the Zanzibar Social Security Fund to train local personnel in vehicle operations, maintenance and safety systems.

Vijay Yelne, President – Export Marketing & SCM, EKA Mobility, said, "The launch of Zanzibar's first electric bus fleet is a strong validation of EKA's technology and our ability to deliver world-class electric mobility solutions beyond India. It demonstrates that products designed and manufactured in India can successfully meet the evolving mobility needs of international markets. This is another step in taking Indian engineering to the world, and we see Africa as a key growth market in EKA's global expansion journey."

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