In the automotive industry, cooperation and collaboration is key to ensuring that any car goes from the design stage to the lots of dealerships, such as Neil Huffman Volkswagen in Louisville, KY.
This aspect of the industry is well demonstrated in one of the most significant and exciting partnerships in recent memory: Volkswagen teaming up with Umicore for the manufacturing of batteries.
This joint venture, the first of its kind in the European auto market, is worth nearly $3 billion and marks a major effort for Europe’s burgeoning battery industry.
What Is Umicore?
Umicore is a Belgian materials technology company that is dedicated to finding sustainable methods for developing, producing, and recycling materials.
How Will Umicore Help Volkswagen?
Specifically, Umicore will help Volkswagen in the production of precursor (the starting materials for battery production) and cathode (the positive side of the battery) materials.
With Umicore’s mission of making sure the production is environmentally-friendly, this will help Volkswagen achieve the goal of continuing to create their great line of vehicles in a green way.
Volkswagen has promised that 70% of their output will be electric vehicles by 2030, so this deal will certainly be instrumental in helping the company reach that goal.
Why Is This Deal Significant?
Battery materials tend to be sourced from around the world, but with this new partnership, much of the German automaker’s battery production will be closer to home, with certain above-mentioned parts of battery manufacturing for Volkswagen now taking place in Europe.
This partnership alone is expected to produce enough battery materials to power up to 2.2 million full electric vehicles.
The responsible sourcing for raw materials is something that is of concern for a number of countries across the world, so this joint venture will play a large role in creating a circular battery economy.
What Is a Circular Battery Economy?
The term “circular economy” refers to a method of materials production wherein waste is reduced by squeezing as much life out of each material as possible.
This is done through reusing and recycling materials.
It is called “circular” not because certain batteries are shaped like circles, but because the goal is to keep materials essential for battery production circulating for as long as possible.
What Does This Mean for the Future of Volkswagen?
If you are interested in buying a Volkswagen, either as a long-time customer or a first-time buyer, what this means for you is that you will be seeing more electric vehicles on the Neil Huffman Volkswagen lot.
As always, you can find the best new and used Volkswagen vehicles at Neil Huffman Volkswagen, and at the best prices.
The Best Stock of Volkswagen and Other Vehicles in Kentuckiana
Still searching for a new or used vehicle that is right for you? Look no further than Neil Huffman Volkswagen for a great-value vehicle at any of our locations. If you have any questions for us about our new or used vehicle inventory, be sure to contact us today and we will help you find what you are looking for.
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