Daimler Truck North America LLC (DTNA) is committed to reducing the company’s overall carbon footprint by integrating a comprehensive circular economy approach across its operations. This strategy emphasizes repairing, remanufacturing, repurposing and recycling lithium-ion battery materials used in all DTNA electric vehicles (EVs).

With goals to maximize battery lifespans and reduce material waste, the circular economy approach strives to extend the usability of rare-earth materials and products, thereby tackling global sustainability challenges. Leveraging advanced technology, DTNA can discern when a lithium-ion battery no longer meets DTNA’s standards required for vehicle use. This insight guides the decision on the optimal process to maximize materials for a second life, with repair taking precedence whenever possible.

While batteries receive significant attention due to their use of rare-earth metals like cobalt and nickel, DTNA’s approach extends to all components of the EV product.

Remanufacture. When a battery or electric vehicle component is beyond simple repair, it enters the remanufacturing process at existing Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing locations across the US such as the recently expanded Hibbing facility with intended reuse in vehicles. This process involves partial disassembly, module replacement and rigorous testing for optimized reliability. All remanufactured products are updated with the latest technology and must meet or exceed new product standards to be reintroduced to the market.

Remanufactured products are a cost-effective solution that improves the total cost of ownership, benefiting both DTNA’s customers and the environment. Today, the primary EV components for remanufacturing are Detroit batteries and eAxles, with potential for further expansion in the future.

Repurpose. DTNA has partnered with Nuvation Energy to pilot a battery energy storage system (BESS) designed to assist in charging, peak shaving, backup storage and microgrid scenarios. This innovative solution enables DTNA to repurpose batteries that cannot be reused in a vehicle.

Recycle. DTNA has created a process in partnership with Li-Cycle, a leading lithium-ion battery resource recovery company, to recycle critical battery-grade materials for batteries that reach the end of their life cycle. Li-Cyle uses an environmentally friendly and safe method that recycles batteries within a liquid-based solution, achieving up to a 95% recovery rate for returning critical materials back to the battery supply chain while producing minimal water discharge.