Is Toyota Really Giving Up On Electric Vehicle?

Last year, Toyota announced a collaboration with Redwood Materials to create a closed-loop battery recycling solution. This started with collecting and recycling Toyota’s hybrid batteries. Now, the partnership is expanding – Toyota will source cathode and anode materials from Redwood for their upcoming North Carolina battery manufacturing plant.  

This represents the first time an automaker is both recycling old hybrid batteries and using those recycled materials in new EV batteries. Redwood aims to produce cathode and anode, which make up most of a battery’s cost, domestically with increasing amounts of recycled content. For Toyota, Redwood is targeting minimums of 20% recycled nickel, 20% recycled lithium, and 50% recycled cobalt in the cathode and 100% recycled copper in the anode.

Toyota is both recycling end-of-life hybrid electric vehicle batteries, like those used in the Toyota Prius, and then returning those same recycled metals into that same automaker’s batteries for use in future electrified and all-electric vehicles.

Redwood plans to invest billions of dollars scaling up to 100 GWh annual cathode and anode production at facilities in Nevada and South Carolina. Ramping up a domestic supply chain using locally recycled materials is the best way to meet U.S. electrification goals. Toyota working with Redwood shows they are seriously thinking about EVs despite pushing hybrids publicly.

OUR THOUGHTS

Publicly, Toyota has been pushing more hybrids to consumers while talking down pure EVs. But their partnership with Redwood suggests Toyota is secretly plotting an EV comeback. If so, Tesla needs to stay on their toes and keep innovating. 

Tesla has led in EV innovation so far, but they need to keep refreshing their lineup and launching exciting new models. Just as people love new shiny tech gadgets, car buyers crave the latest sleek and exciting EVs. Toyota is coming for Tesla’s EV crown – to keep it, Tesla must wow consumers with a constant stream of cutting-edge and visually appealing new EVs.

More Articles for You

Volvo Announces Major Upgrades And New EV Model

Volvo Cars USA yesterday announced details of its 2026 fully electric lineup, highlighted by major upgrades to the EX90 as …

Spanish Brand Cupra Celebrates Its Biggest Ever Sales For September 

Cupra celebrates its best-ever September sales results since tracking began in 2016. For anyone outside of Europe, Cupra does not …

Toyota Supra Says Farewell With Final Edition

Sayonara, Supra A90. Or should we call you by your full name—the Toyota GR Supra (that stands for Gazoo Racing)? …

New Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV Debuts In Malaysia Boasting 1,200 km Range

Chery has an all-new SUV with a slightly complicated name. The new plug-in-hybrid (PHEV) Chery Tiggo 7 CSH, which has …

Mercedes-Benz Opens Industry’s Most Advanced Light Testing Center

With the new, state-of-the-art light testing center, Mercedes-Benz has just expanded the diverse testing capabilities of its Global Proving Ground …

Electrification Milestone Reached: One millionth Volvo plug-in hybrid now on road

Volvo Cars has just reached an important milestone in its electrification strategy. In September, the brand delivered its one millionth …