Hyundai Canada and Lithion Recycling Announce Agreement on Recycling of Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Batteries

ANJOU, QC, March 11, 2021 – Today Hyundai Canada announced an agreement with Quebec-based Lithion Recycling on the recovery and recycling of high-voltage batteries from some of its Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and Electric vehicles, with the ultimate goal of increasing the sustainability of its electric vehicle production cycle.

“Developing electric vehicles has been a priority of ours for many years. Hyundai is now Canada’s largest distributor of mainstream electric vehicles, of which we are very proud,” said Michel Poirier, Director of Customer Experience and Aftersales with Hyundai Auto Canada. “As a result, we need to be proactive and develop a sustainable end-of-life disposal model for these batteries.”

Lithion has developed an efficient and cost-effective process for recycling lithium-ion batteries. The process allows for 95% of battery components to be recovered and treated, in order to be reused by battery manufacturers, closing the loop on battery life-cycle.

“Lithion Recycling is thrilled and proud to team up with Hyundai Canada, a visionary and very active mobility solution provider aiming to create a sustainable supply chain for its lithium-ion batteries. This service agreement will validate an economic and innovative technology that considerably reduces the carbon footprint compared to incumbent technologies and mining.” said Benoît Couture, President and CEO of Lithion Recycling. He added: “This type of partnership paves the way to the collaborative business model of the future, enabling battery safe disposal and close loop recovery of critical minerals and metals used in lithium-ion battery, which are needed to decarbonize transportation.”

Last development stages of industrial scale piloting currently take place at Lithion’s 10,000 sq. ft. plant in Anjou, Quebec, with their first commercial plant due to open in 2022. Hyundai is the first automotive manufacturer in Canada to officialize a service agreement with Lithion.

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About Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.

Hyundai Auto Canada, established in 1983 and headquartered in Markham, Ontario, is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout Canada by Hyundai Auto Canada and are sold and serviced through more than 221 dealerships nationwide. Hyundai is also the first to offer a second-generation zero-emissions Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle to Canadian customers, called the NEXO. More information about Hyundai and its vehicles can be found at www.HyundaiCanada.com.

For more information about Hyundai and its products, please visit www.hyundainews.ca or contact:

Jean-François Taylor, Public Relations Supervisor, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.
Office: (905) 948-6754, Email: jftaylor@hyundaicanada.com

Mohga Hassib, Public Relations Coordinator, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.

Office: (905) 948-6882, Email: mhassib@hyundaicanada.com

About Lithion

Lithion Recycling has developed an efficient and cost-effective process to recover strategic materials from end-of life and production waste of lithium-ion batteries. Lithion’s process allows up to 95% of battery components to be recovered and treated so that they can be reused by battery manufacturers, enabling the close of the lifecycle in batteries. This technology accelerates the transition to green energy and helps meet decarbonization targets by reducing pressure on natural resource extraction. In 2022-2023, Lithion is set to launch its first commercial recycling plant, drawing on operational data from a highly successful Quebec industrial-scale pilot plant created in 2019. Lithion targets a worldwide deployment, through licensing agreements, aiming at 20 recycling plants.

For more information on Lithion and its services, please visit https://www.lithiontechnologies.com/

Jean-Christophe Lambert, Business Development Manager, Lithion Recycling, 514-604-4240, jc.lambert@lithionrecycling.com