Japan could introduce mandatory electric car battery recycling for brands like Toyota and Mitsubishi

Japan is getting serious about car battery recycling. 

The Japanese government has drafted a report outlining a policy that would require carmakers to collect used electric vehicle batteries, according to AutoNews.

Ministries will "consider policy solutions and timing for the establishment of a recycling system” for EV batteries.

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Battery recycling initiatives have gathered steam globally in recent years as e-waste becomes a bigger consideration. 

There will be more EV batteries degrading and becoming unusable as the numbers of EVs on the road increases.

Batteries cannot be recycled in the conventional way because they often contain toxic chemicals, requiring an extensive process to disassemble them safely.

Opportunities for recycling car batteries have increased significantly as carmakers and governments seek solutions to the issue. 

There is already a voluntary scheme in Japan, where up to 22 carmakers participate in collecting used EV batteries, including Toyota and BYD.

AutoNews said roughly 13,000 batteries were recovered through the initiative in the 2024 financial year.

Japan will use battery recycling initiatives to move away from heavy reliance on rare resource imports.

Japan isn't the only place where battery recycling is being pushed.

There are increasingly stringent European Union regulations that set recycling mandates for all companies.

Under the EU Battery Regulation, there are stricter year-on-year recycling targets. In 2030, 70 per cent of lithium-based batteries must be recycled. 

Lithium batteries are commonly used in electric cars, so Europe’s rules are designed to directly target the car battery issue. 

EV batteries and the materials in them can be used for other purposes and are capable of forming part of home set-ups or powering alliances and tools.

In Australia, Nissan is using nine NMC batteries from its first generation Leaf small car to power elements of its Victorian part manufacturing plant.

Importantly these batteries have not undergone an extensive refurbishment process, meaning their repurposing is cheaper than conventional recycling choices. 

NMC batteries are more likely to be the target of recycling initiatives than lithium-based alternatives because they contain more rare and expensive metals.