eSkootr Championship is getting ready to officially debut in 2022 as the first 100% electric scooter series. One of the main allies to make this possible is Umicore, a leading company focused on clean mobility and recycling. Precisely, between both parts, they will be in charge of giving the scooter batteries a second life.
This is a commitment to a future zero-emission racing series. Each battery used on the S1-X will be recycled, which are manufactured by Williams Advance Engineering. Once the power source completes its lifecycle, Umicore will extract the valuable metals using its technological processes to return them to a pure state.
Therefore, a new opportunity to be used for new battery production will be given to these active cathode materials. One of the processes where the company takes greater care is extraction, because if cells are crushed, both workers and environment could be exposed to hazardous compounds present inside the battery.
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As stated by eSkootr, the materials present at the S1-X power source are infinitely recyclable, allowing Umicore to focus on a closed-loop life cycle to return metals to active uses, over and over again.
“To achieve our mission to become the most sustainable racing series in the world, we have partnered with environmental industry leaders, such as Umicore, who are pioneering best practices in electric vehicle battery recycling,” said Hrag Sarkissian, co-founder and CEO of the eSkootr Championship.
In addition, eSC notes that working with Umicore will allow them to turn their laboratory into a cutting-edge site and technological pioneer, both in terms of battery recycling, to subsequently transfer that knowledge towards urban micromobility, one of the purposes for which this sustainable competition category was born.
“A circular design, as well as vehicle battery recycling, will be key elements in creating long-term sustainable solutions. We will use our expertise on metal recovery to recycle the eSC Championship S1-X batteries on an environmentally friendly way,” said Tom Van Bellinghen, Umicore’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
About Umicore
Umicore defines itself as a global recycling and materials technology group. They reduce harmful emissions, power vehicles and technologies of the future by giving new life to used metals. Sustainable value creation is based on the ambition to develop, produce and recycle materials in a way that fulfills the company’s core mission: materials for a better life.
Written by | Ronald Ortega