Sen. Angus King says tech for recycling electric vehicle batteries is "five years away"

The technology to recycle batteries for electric vehicles could exists in as soon as five years, Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said Tuesday at an Axios event, with investment and commitment from the industry and the federal government.

Why it matters: Electric vehicle automakers have begun to increase battery manufacturing in response to President Biden's pledge to increase the amount of electric vehicles produced in the United States. But currently China controls most of the world's battery minerals mining and processing, putting the U.S. at a disadvantage.

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• King and Redwood Materials CEO JB Straubel explained that the creation of battery recycling programs would not only allow the U.S. to increase the number of batteries and electric vehicles made here, it would also allow auto-manufacturers to rely less on foreign imports in order to make batteries.

What he's saying: When asked about whether or not recycling can play a role in helping our battery supply, King said that "it's probably five years away. But we're trying to invent an industry from scratch here."

• "[We're] trying to jumpstart an entire industry. Here it is. It is feasible, but it's not easy and it's something that's going to take some time. And frankly, it's going to take some federal support just as other areas of energy development have," King said.

Watch the full event here.

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