Cox Automotive Recycles 10 Million Pounds of EV Batteries

Electric vehicles are the future, but what happens when their batteries die? Cox Automotive just proved we have an answer.

The Atlanta-based company announced its EV Battery Solutions business has processed and recovered more than 10 million pounds of "black mass," the valuable material inside electric vehicle batteries. That's enough battery material to power thousands of vehicles back onto the road.

"This milestone is proof that circularity in the EV battery ecosystem is moving from concept to scale," says Brian Skalovsky, director of battery recycling for the company. Every pound recovered means less mining for new materials and fewer batteries in landfills.

At their Oklahoma City recycling center, technicians use a patented dry recycling process that skips water and chemical treatments entirely. Through mechanical disassembly, shredding, and air-based separation, they're achieving up to 94 percent material recovery from dead batteries.

The company's approach goes beyond just recycling end-of-life batteries. Their EV Battery Solutions also handles repair and remanufacturing, extending battery life before recycling becomes necessary. Proprietary depowering and dry-shredding technologies help minimize fire risk during processing, making the whole operation safer.

The Ripple Effect

This milestone ripples far beyond one company's success. As more electric vehicles hit the used car market, the infrastructure to handle aging batteries becomes critical for making electrification work long-term.

"By extending battery life through repair and remanufacturing and responsibly recycling at the end of life, we're helping close the loop for electric mobility," says Lea Malloy, vice president of EV Battery Solutions. The work addresses one of the biggest concerns skeptics have about electric vehicles: what happens to all those batteries?

The achievement supports Cox Enterprises' broader environmental commitment through Cox Conserves, their sustainability program launched in 2007. Since then, the company has funded more than 500 sustainability projects and invested over $165 million in alternative energy initiatives, waste reduction, and conservation efforts.

The shift from concept to industrial scale marks a turning point for electric vehicle adoption. Building a circular economy for EV batteries means the materials that power today's cars can power tomorrow's too.