Materials company Umicore has partnered with Formula E to recycle the lithium-ion battery units and cells used during the first two seasons of the electric street racing series. The ABB FIA Formula E Championship is reportedly first fully-electric international single-seater category in motorsport. The Formula E batteries have been collected and are in the process of being recycled by Umicore, the company says. The process comprises sorting, dismantling and recycling with valuable metals being recovered using proprietary smelting technology, followed by a hydrometallurgical treatment. Umicore says that the metals in the battery are infinitely recyclable without losing their properties. Recycling includes the recovery of the metals and their transformation into metal alloys that can be used again in new rechargeable batteries or other products. ‘This is an important moment for Formula E and I’m grateful to be partnering with Umicore on this initiative,’ said Alejandro Agag, founder and CEO of Formula E. ‘Sustainability is at the core of both companies, and to be able to recycle our battery cells with a closed loop approach means we’re doing our utmost to limit the impact we have on the environment – while promoting a wider message of clean mobility.’ Umicore;www.umicore.com