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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Eicher Trucks & Buses, a division of VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), has successfully completed a landmark journey from Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) with its Eicher Pro X EV.

The expedition, titled #XpertHaiTohPossibleHai, saw the electric commercial vehicle become the first and fastest in its category to traverse the 4,100-kilometre route under fully loaded conditions.

Starting from Lal Chowk, Srinagar, and concluding at the southern tip of India in six days, the journey was independently adjudicated by the India Book of Records, resulting in four new national records. The initiative was designed to address industry concerns regarding range anxiety, charging infrastructure and the operational reliability of electric vehicles (EVs) in the B2B sector.

The journey tested the vehicle across India’s most diverse terrains and climates, including the Himalayas, the Deccan Plateau and coastal ghats. The Eicher Pro X EV travelled through temperatures ranging from -2deg Celsius to 40deg Celsius. The EV relied entirely on public charging stations, coordinated through the MyEicher App. The trip was conducted with the vehicle at full load capacity to simulate authentic logistics operations.

Abhishek Chaudhary, SVP, SCV - Sales & Marketing, VECV, said, “The K2K milestone is a strong validation of the Eicher Pro X EV’s engineering capability under real-world operating conditions. The initiative not only builds confidence in electric mobility as an economical source of providing logistical solution but also strengthens trust through proof, not promise.”

Eicher collaborated with commercial vehicle influencer Raman Nayak (Behind The Wheels) and a network of regional creators to document the journey. The multi-episode series focused on the practicalities of EV ownership, such as route planning and terrain management, presented in local languages to reach a broader demographic of fleet operators.

Bhagwan K. Bindiganavile, EVP – Strategic Planning, Brand & Communications, VECV, said, “In the commercial vehicle industry, trust is built through proof. Taking a production vehicle on a journey of this scale was a deliberate move to move beyond conventional marketing and demonstrate capability in a real, unfiltered and conclusive manner.”

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Bengaluru-headquartered electric two-wheeler maker Ather Energy has announced that its first family electric scooter, the Rizta, has crossed the 300,000-unit sales milestone within just two years of its April 2024 launch.

The e-scooter has become Ather’s primary volume driver, significantly accelerating the company's growth in both its home markets and new regions.

The Rizta reached 200,000 units in December 2025 and added the most recent 100,000 units in just five months, reflecting a rapid surge in demand for family-focused electric mobility.

The Rizta has been instrumental in Ather’s ‘Middle India’ strategy, focusing on states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. In these regions, Ather's market share shot up from 4.1 percent (Q1 FY25) to 17.3 percent (Q4 FY26). In Northern states, including Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, market share grew more than threefold during the same period.

In its home base of Southern India, the Rizta helped Ather retain its leadership position, contributing to a regional market share of 23.5 percent in Q4 FY26.

Interestingly, nearly 70 percent of Rizta owners are families with children, moving away from Ather's traditional enthusiast-only demographic. The e-scooter's success is attributed to its 56-litre total storage, spacious seat and safety features like SkidControl. In FY2026, the Rizta accounted for approximately 76 percent of Ather’s total sales volume.

Ravneet Singh Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy, said, “Since its launch, the Rizta was sharply positioned as a family scooter and has resonated extremely well with the family audiences across the country. The Rizta has helped us gain a leadership position in FY2026 in Southern India. Additionally, the Rizta has played a crucial role in expanding our market share in ‘middle India’ by 4X since its launch in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. In FY '26 the Rizta constituted about 76 percent of our portfolio and continues to lead our growth.”

Ather has maintained strong customer engagement through its AtherStack software. In September 2025, the company released AtherStack 7 via an over-the-air (OTA) update. This update introduced a touchscreen interface for existing Rizta Z models, pothole alerts & voice commands and advanced safety features including crash alerts, ParkSafe tow-zone detection and LockSafe theft prevention.

This milestone comes as Ather prepares to enter the mass-market segment with its upcoming EL platform and expands production capacity through its Factory 3.0 facility at AURIC, Maharashtra.

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Hyroad Energy has entered into an agreement with Toyota Motor North America to deploy 40 hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 trucks in Southern California. The announcement took place at the ACT Expo, where the companies outlined a framework covering vehicles, software, and fuel supply.

As per the understanding, Hyroad will provide the trucks along with maintenance and data services for Toyota’s logistics operations. On the other hand, Toyota will supply the hydrogen fuel via its refuelling infrastructure currently being developed in Ontario, California.

The fuel cell trucks offer a claimed driving range of up to 500 miles (804km) and refuelling time of 15-20 minutes, comparable to diesel vehicles. However, the trucks emit only water vapour. Each Class 8 truck carries approximately 70 kg of hydrogen, equivalent to the capacity of 12 Toyota Mirai sedans.

Hyroad operates as an equipment-agnostic provider, bundling vehicle procurement, maintenance and fleet management software. In August 2025, the company acquired 117 hydrogen trucks and intellectual property assets from the Nikola Corporation bankruptcy auction. It now provides parts and support services for existing Nikola truck owners alongside its own fleet operations.

“Accelerating the hydrogen economy requires collaboration, and Toyota is proud to work with Hyroad to move the heavy-duty sector forward,” stated Toyota in a release.

Dmitry Serov, Founder & CEO, Hyroad Energy, said, “Toyota has done exactly what great allies do — they've brought genuine hydrogen expertise to the table and made thoughtful, strategic decisions. They're not waiting for someone else to build this ecosystem. They're investing in it directly, and that's what makes this meaningful. When fuelling, vehicles, software and operational commitment all come together, hydrogen trucking works."

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BYD has claimed the title of the United Kingdom’s leading electric vehicle brand for 2026, surpassing established rivals including Tesla, BMW, KIA and Volkswagen. Official figures show the Chinese automaker has registered 12,754 battery-electric cars since the start of the year. This achievement is particularly notable as BYD has simultaneously become the top choice among private EV buyers, a feat accomplished despite being excluded from the government’s official Electric Car Grant scheme.

The brand’s broader success extends to its plug‑in hybrid lineup, marketed under the DM‑i dual‑mode intelligent system. Combining fully electric and hybrid sales, BYD has delivered 26,396 new energy vehicles in the UK year‑to‑date, capturing a 9.5 percent share of the national market. Three DM‑i models are currently available – SEAL U, SEAL 6 and SEALION 5 – with the ATTO 2 and additional models scheduled to arrive soon. The overall UK EV market has expanded by 22 percent, reflecting rising consumer appetite for sustainable transport.

BYD DOLPHIN SURF

BYD SEAL

Bono Ge, Country Manager, BYD UK, said, “With fuel prices remaining high, more drivers are turning to electric vehicles as a smarter and more economical choice. We are delighted to see the UK EV market grow by 22 percent year-on-year, and even more proud that BYD has become the UK’s leading EV brand in a little over three years. At BYD, we are committed to delivering outstanding value through high-tech electric vehicles that combine innovation, quality and affordability. But our ambition goes beyond building great cars.

“We are also bringing advanced technologies that unlock the full value of electrification, including Vehicle-to-Grid solutions that can help customers optimise energy use and reduce costs. In parallel, BYD has been deploying home and utility-scale energy storage solutions to support a more efficient and affordable energy ecosystem. Looking ahead, we also plan to introduce our breakthrough FLASH Charging, capable of charging a vehicle from 10 percent to 97 percent in just nine minutes.”

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