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Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) is taking significant steps towards sustainability by implementing a comprehensive circular economy approach. This strategy focuses on repairing, remanufacturing, repurposing, and recycling lithium-ion battery materials used in all DTNA electric vehicles (EVs), aiming to reduce the company’s overall carbon footprint.
Key Highlights
- Circular Economy Strategy: DTNA’s approach emphasizes the reuse and recycling of rare-earth materials to extend battery lifespans and minimize waste.
- Advanced Technology Integration: DTNA utilizes advanced technology to assess battery viability, ensuring optimal decisions for repair or repurposing.
- Comprehensive Component Approach: Beyond batteries, DTNA’s sustainability strategy applies to all EV components.
Circular Economy and Sustainability Efforts
DTNA’s circular economy approach is designed to maximize battery lifespans and reduce material waste. By leveraging advanced technology, DTNA can identify when a lithium-ion battery no longer meets vehicle use standards. This insight guides decisions on the optimal process to maximize material reuse, with repair being the priority whenever feasible.
Remanufacturing Process
When simple repairs are insufficient, DTNA remanufactures components at Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing locations across the U.S. This process includes partial disassembly, module replacement, and rigorous testing to ensure that remanufactured products meet or exceed new product standards. Remanufactured products offer a cost-effective solution that benefits both customers and the environment, improving total cost of ownership.
Repurposing Initiatives
DTNA has partnered with Nuvation Energy to pilot a battery energy storage system (BESS). This system assists in charging, peak shaving, backup storage, and microgrid scenarios. The repurposing initiative allows DTNA to reuse batteries that are no longer suitable for vehicles, contributing to the EV ecosystem’s sustainability.
Recycling Partnerships
In collaboration with Li-Cycle, a leading lithium-ion battery resource recovery company, DTNA has established a recycling process for critical battery-grade materials. Li-Cycle’s environmentally friendly method achieves up to a 95% recovery rate, returning vital materials to the battery supply chain with minimal environmental impact.
Path to Net Zero Operations
Since 2006, DTNA has prioritized recycling solutions within its production facilities. Achieving ISO 14001 certification at every U.S. and Mexico plant by 2008 and Zero Waste to Landfill status at all plants by 2017 are milestones in DTNA’s sustainability journey. The company aims for carbon neutrality for all new products and services from direct suppliers in Europe, the U.S., and Japan by 2039.
By 2020, the Portland Truck Manufacturing Plant achieved CO₂-neutral production, setting a benchmark for DTNA’s other facilities, with plans to extend CO₂-neutral production to all remaining truck manufacturing plants by 2025.
About Daimler Truck North America
Daimler Truck North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a leading provider of comprehensive products, services, and technologies for the commercial transportation industry. DTNA designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets medium- and heavy-duty trucks, school buses, vehicle chassis, and their associated technologies under brands such as Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp, and Detroit. DTNA is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck Holding AG, one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.
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