Rexroth – Greater efficiency in battery recycling

EMR Analysis

More information on Bosch Rexroth AG by Robert Bosch GmbH: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Dr. Jochen Peter (Chief Executive Officer, Bosch Rexroth AG, Robert Bosch GmbH): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Dr. Steffen Haack (Chief Technical Officer with Responsibility for Engineering Activities and the Product Area New Business, Bosch Rexroth AG, Robert Bosch GmbH): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Holger von Hebel (Member of the Board of Management, Chief Financial Officer & Chief Human Ressources Officer, Bosch Rexroth AG, Robert Bosch GmbH): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on IFAT 2026 (May 4-7, 2026 – Munich, Germany): https://ifat.de/en/ + Solutions for Water, Recycling and Circularity. IFAT Munich is the most important industry meeting place and the heart of the largest international network for environmental technologies.

In May 2026, over 3,000 exhibitors from more than 60 countries will present their strategies and innovations. Discover pioneering solutions for water, recycling, and circularity.

EMR Additional Notes:

• Batteries Technology:
  • Lead-Acid Batteries:
    • Oldest battery technology with low energy density and short lifespan.
    • Primarily used in older or low-cost EVs, such as golf carts and some utility vehicles.
  • Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH):
    • Older technology with lower energy density than Li-ion.
    • Primarily found in older hybrid vehicles.
  • Lithium-ion Technology (Li-ion):
    • A lithium-ion (Li-ion) technology is an advanced battery technology that uses lithium ions as a key component of its electrochemistry. During a discharge cycle, lithium atoms in the anode are ionized and separated from their electrons. The movement of the lithium ions creates free electrons in the anode which creates a charge at the positive current collector. The electrical current then flows from the current collector through a device being powered (cell phone, computer, etc.) to the negative current collector.
    • Lithium-ion is the most popular rechargeable battery chemistry used today. Lithium-ion batteries power the devices we use every day, like our mobile phones and electric vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries consist of single or multiple lithium-ion cells, along with a protective circuit board.
    • Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP):
      • LFP batteries belong to the family of lithium-ion batteries.
      • Lithium iron phosphate is a chemical compound LiFePO₄ or “LFP” for short.
      • Offers good safety, long lifespan, and cost-effectiveness, often used in more budget-friendly EVs.
      • LFP offers good electrochemical performance, low resistance and is one of the safest and most stable cathode materials available for lithium-ion batteries.
      • Lithium iron phosphate batteries offer lots of benefits compared to lead-acid batteries and other lithium batteries.
      • Longer life span, no maintenance, extremely safe, lightweight, improved discharge and charge efficiency, just to name a few.
      • LiFePO4 batteries are not the cheapest in the market, but due to a long life span and zero maintenance, it’s the best investment you can make over time
    • Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC):
      • Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) batteries belong to the family of lithium-ion batteries and are widely used in various portable electronics and electric vehicles. They are known for their high energy density, which allows for a compact and efficient energy storage solution.
      • A common type known for high energy density, suitable for high-performance EVs.
      • NMC batteries can achieve 1000 – 2000 charge-discharge cycles, while LFP batteries typically deliver 3,000 cycles or more. The higher cycle life means that LFP batteries will last longer, leading to reduced operational costs over the battery’s lifespan.
    • Nickel Cobalt Manganese Aluminum (NCMA):
      • NCMA batteries belong to the family of lithium-ion batteries and utilize a cathode material composed of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and aluminum, which offers a balance of energy density, stability, and cost compared to other lithium-ion battery chemistries.
  • Sodium-ion Technology (NIB, SIB or Na-ion):
    • The sodium-ion battery, or NIB or SIB, is a rechargeable battery that uses sodium ions (Na+) as its charge carriers. Similar to lithium-ion batteries (LIB), the working principle and cell construction of SIBs can be relatively similar.
    • Emerging technology, uses abundant sodium, promising for cost-effectiveness and safety.
    • Sodium is 1000 times more abundant than lithium so the concept of sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries is quickly moving from the laboratory to the real world.
    • Sodium-ion batteries provide energy efficient power with fast charging, stability against temperature extremes and safety against overheating or thermal runaway. On the other side, one of the major disadvantages of sodium-ion batteries is their relatively low energy density – the amount of energy stored relative to the battery’s volume. Lower energy density means bulkier and heavier batteries
  • Zinc-ion Technology (ZIB): 
    • Zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are a type of rechargeable battery that uses zinc metal as the anode and a zinc-containing electrolyte. They offer advantages over traditional lithium-ion batteries, including higher safety, lower cost, and environmental friendliness. However, they face challenges related to anode instability and dendrite formation. Zinc batteries may be better in cost and safety vs. lithium-ion batteries excelling in energy density and cycle life.
  • Solid-State Batteries:
    • Solid state batteries operate the same way as any other battery. They take energy in, store it, and release the power to devices—from Walkmen to watches and, now, vehicle motors. The difference is the materials inside.
    • Currently under development, facing challenges with manufacturing and cost.
    • Lithium-ion batteries, used in EVs today, have a liquid electrolyte solution sandwiched in between their cathodes and anodes. Alternatively, solid state batteries use solid electrolytes.
    • The increased density means solid state batteries can hold anywhere between two to 10 times the capacity of a lithium-ion battery. The solid electrolyte in solid-state batteries has also a higher melting point and is less likely to burn, making it safer but the stability of these batteries is usually poor, and their high surface resistance limits their output and, concurrently, their applications and their manufacturing costs is very high.

• Motors, Generators and Drives:
  • Motor: Mechanical or electrical device that generates the rotational or linear force used to power a machine.
    • NEMA / IEC Motors: NEMA motors are commonly made with rolled steel or cast iron frames while IEC motors are commonly made with cast aluminum or cast iron frames.
      • North American NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standards are crucial because they ensure that motors from different manufacturers are interchangeable and meet specific criteria for performance, safety, and physical dimensions.
    • Servo Motor: Self-contained electrical device, that rotate parts of a machine with high efficiency and with great precision. The output shaft of this motor can be moved to a particular angle, position and velocity that a regular motor does not have. It consists of a suitable motor coupled to a sensor for position feedback. It also requires a relatively sophisticated controller.
    • Shaft Grounded Motor: Electric motor that is equipped with a device to safely redirect harmful electrical currents away from its internal bearings. Without this protection, these currents can cause significant damage and lead to premature motor failure.
    • Traction Motor: A traction motor is an electric motor used to propel vehicles—such as electric cars, trains, and locomotives—by converting electrical energy into mechanical torque to turn the wheels. These robust, high-torque motors are typically mounted directly on the vehicle’s axle or truck, serving as the primary source of propulsion.
  • Generator: Does the opposite of this, converting mechanical energy into electricity. It does not create electricity; rather, it forces the movement of existing electric charges (electrons) in a conductor to produce an electric current.
  • Drive: (also often referred to as an electric controller) is the electronic device that harnesses and controls the electrical energy sent to the motor.
    • By positioning a drive between the electrical supply and the motor, power is fed into the drive, and the drive then controls and regulates the power that is fed into the motor. This allows control of speed, direction, acceleration, deceleration, torque and, in some applications, position of the motor shaft.

• Digital Battery Passport:
  • The battery passport establishes a digital twin of the physical battery that conveys information about all applicable sustainability and lifecycle requirements based on a comprehensive definition of a sustainable battery. It aims to bring new levels of transparency to the global battery value chain by collecting, exchanging, collating, and reporting trusted data among all lifecycle stakeholders on the material provenance, the battery’s chemical make-up and manufacturing history, and its sustainability performance.

• Cobots (Collaborative Robots):
  • A collaborative robot, also known as a cobot, is a robot designed to assist human worker by performing tasks in close proximity and collaboration with them.  In contrast, autonomous robots are hard-coded to repeatedly perform one task, work independently and remain stationary.
  • Intended to work hand-in-hand with employees. These machines focus more on repetitive tasks, such as inspection and picking, to help workers focus more on tasks that require problem-solving skills.
  • A robot is an autonomous machine that performs a task without human control. A cobot is an artificially intelligent robot that performs tasks in collaboration with human workers.
  • According to ISO 10218 part 1 and part 2, there are four main types of collaborative robots: safety monitored stop, speed and separation, power and force limiting, and hand guiding.
• Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV): 
  • An AGV system, or automated guided vehicle system, otherwise known as an automatic guided vehicle, autonomous guided vehicle or even automatic guided cart, is a system which follows a predestined path around a facility.
  • Three types of AGVs are towing, fork trucks, and heavy load carriers. Each is designed to perform repetitive actions such as delivering raw materials, keep loads stable, and complete simple tasks.
  • The main difference between an AGV and an AMR is that AMRs use free navigation by means of lasers, while AGVs are located with fixed elements: magnetic tapes, magnets, beacons, etc. So, to be effective, they must have a predictable route.
• Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR): 
  • Any robot that can understand and move through its environment without being overseen directly by an operator or on a fixed predetermined path.
  • AMRs have an array of sophisticated sensors that enable them to understand and interpret their environment, which helps them to perform their task in the most efficient manner and path possible, navigating around fixed obstructions (building, racks, work stations, etc.) and variable obstructions (such as people, lift trucks, and debris).
  • Though similar in many ways to automated guided vehicles (AGVs), AMRs differ in a number of important ways. The greatest of these differences is flexibility: AGVs must follow much more rigid, preset routes than AMRs. Autonomous mobile robots find the most efficient route to achieve each task, and are designed to work collaboratively with operators such as picking and sortation operations, whereas AGVs typically do not.
• Autonomous Case-handling Robots (ACR): 
  • Autonomous Case-handling Robot (ACR) systems are highly efficient “Goods to Person” solutions designed for totes & cartons transportation and process optimization, providing efficient, intelligent, flexible, and cost-effective warehouse automation solutions through robotics technology.