Dive Brief:
- Redwood Materials and Isuzu Commercial Truck of America are collaborating to build a circular battery supply chain for the medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicle segment, the company said in an email.
- Through the partnership, Redwood will support the automaker’s U.S. and Canada operations by recycling cells, modules, packs and other battery materials from various Isuzu locations, including dealerships, service centers, research and development facilities and assembly plants.
- This is Redwood’s first OEM collaboration in the medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicle segment as Isuzu transitions to electric, the battery recycler said.
Dive Insight:
The partnership comes as both companies are setting up facilities in South Carolina. Redwood is building its Carolina campus in Ridgeville, where its first recycling process is expected to come online in Q3, the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Isuzu is establishing a $280 million commercial electric vehicle plant in Piedmont, with operations set to begin in 2027 and plans to expand in 2028.
Since Isuzu’s facility announcement in February, however, the company has hit the ground running to localize its supply chain.
Last week, Isuzu expanded its supply agreement with Accelera by Cummins, the zero-emissions business segment of the autopart maker. The revised deal has Accelera and Isuzu developing a new battery electric powertrain for Isuzu’s medium-duty EV F-Series model, which is expected to launch in North America by 2027, according to a press release.
Many of the components integrated into the powertrain, including the batteries, eAxles, inverters and power controls and accessory systems, are manufactured or assembled by Accelera in the U.S., according to the autopart maker’s press release.
Isuzu also expanded its collaboration with specialty vehicle manufacturer The Shyft Group in February. Shyft will continue to assemble Isuzu’s gas and battery-powered N-series and diesel-powered F-Series vehicles at its facility in Charlotte, Michigan, as the automaker ramps up production at its South Carolina facility.
Shyft will also be involved in planning and launching Isuzu’s new facility as well, according to the release. The company plans to build an upfit and modification center near the automaker’s facility, which will support port-installed options, final modifications and other services for vehicles produced at Isuzu’s Piedmont site.
