Shared micromobility provider Lime has formally partnered with Redwood Materials to recycle batteries from its fleet of electric scooters and e-bikes. Under the new agreement announced Monday, Redwood Materials will become Lime’s sole battery recycling provider in the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands, exclusively handling recovery of vital battery elements such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper.
Though Lime operates extensively in Europe, Asia, and Australia, this collaboration with Redwood Materials specifically applies to selected markets, marking Lime’s first direct relationship with a North American battery recycling specialist. Previously, Lime utilized indirect recycling channels, including partnerships such as those managed by Sprout.
Redwood Materials, founded by former Tesla chief financial officer JB Straubel and headquartered in Carson City, Nevada, specializes in “closed-loop” battery recycling processes. This approach recovers valuable minerals from end-of-life batteries and reintroduces them back into the battery production process, significantly reducing the environmental footprint associated with mineral mining and refining operations.
This initiative directly supports Lime’s overarching sustainability objectives. The company aims to achieve complete decarbonization of its global business operations by 2030, striving to substantially reduce its Scope 1, 2, and 3 carbon emissions. Lime reported last year that it had managed to cut these emissions by nearly 60% from its 2019 baseline, and the company intends to release its latest emissions data next month.
In addition to its partnership with Redwood Materials, Lime has established relationships in Europe with companies like Gomi in the UK and VoltR in France, repurposing cells from retired batteries for secondary uses in consumer electronics, such as portable speakers and power banks.
Redwood Materials already recycles batteries from several other prominent micromobility providers, including Lyft, Rad Power Bikes, and Specialized. The recycling firm recently expanded its operations by opening a new research and development facility in San Francisco, further underscoring its commitment to advancing sustainable materials recovery solutions.
