While hybrid and electric cars have been keeping drivers across the world more environmentally-conscious, folks in the greater Meridian area and beyond have been worried that the earth-friendliness of hybrid and electric battery disposal is a bit, shall we say, dubious. Well, Honda wants to put those fears to rest, as they begin using a whole new battery recycling process.
We're going to get a little technical here but bear with us. Car Reports explains the process, stating, "Using molten salt electrolysis, Honda can extract rare earth metals with 99 percent purity--the same as ordinary traded, newly mined rare earth metals. Up to 80 percent of the metals found in a battery can be extracted, and it's suitable for re-use on the electrodes of other batteries."1 Put as simply as possible, metals from old batteries will be recycled into the making of new ones. That means less waste being produced and a cleaner Earth for everyone.
Honda has begun using this process on cars rendered "unsellable" in the wake of the tragic 2011 tsunami and earthquake that hit Japan. The next step is to bring it to the rest of the world and use recycled battery materials from the cars of today in the new Honda hybrid and electric batteries of tomorrow.
To see how our current hybrids and electric cars are helping to return the green to this big blue balloon we call home, come visit Tom Scott Honda on 603 11th Avenue in North Nampa, ID 83687. We can answer all the questions you have and even set you up to take a joyride for yourself. Experience the clean, stylish bliss of a Honda today!
Source: 1http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1082713_honda-recycles-hybrid-battery-packs-into-rare-earth-metals-for-new-ones
