How Renault Group is Recycling EV Batteries in France

The Future is NEUTRAL operates the first Individual System (IS) in France for the end-of-life management of Renault Group Electric Vehicles Batteries. Founded in 2022, The Future is NEUTRAL's majority shareholder is Renault Group. 

Already operating the IS for the management of end-of-life vehicles for 15 automotive brands in France, The Future is NEUTRAL now also manages the end-of-life of batteries.

The dangers posed by EV batteries

According to the World Resources Institute, end-of-life EV batteries are classified as hazardous waste in the US and elsewhere due to hazardous components.

Batteries that are left in landfills leech toxic chemicals that pollute the environment, which can expose nearby communities and workers to severe health risks. 

They can also pose dangers such as fires, due to thermal runway, a chain reaction of rapid temperature and high pressure, that causes difficult to extinguish fires and releases toxic fumes. 

Extended producer responsibility

According to McKinsey, over 100 million EV batteries are expected to be retired in the next decade. So what can be done? 

Since August 2025, under the European Extended Producer Responsibility regulations, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy has been applicable to the recycling of EV Batteries. This policy ensures that manufacturers of EV batteries are responsible for their products throughout their lifecycle. The EU, India and China all have some form of this in place.

According to McKinsey, the recycling of EV batteries is not only a long-term remedy for the likely future shortage of raw battery materials such as lithium and nickel but also a fundamental lever to decrease battery emissions and reduce the dependency of EU and US markets on carbon-intensive mining regions.

Renault’s battery recycling plant

With The Future is NEUTRAL now managing the end-of-life of batteries, alongside the management of end-of-life vehicles, the organisation will continue to work alongside its subsidiary INDRA AUTOMOBILE RECYCLING.

INDRA AUTOMOBILE RECYCLING works in end-of-life vehicle treatment as well as in the diagnosis and securing of EV Batteries. They direct the waste to recycling channels, with the support of its shareholder Suez, in recycling and waste recovery. 

The Future is NEUTRAL also works alongside GAIA to repair batteries and keep them in vehicles for as long as possible. With over 90% of defective batteries capable of repair, GAIA has repaired over 18,000 batteries since 2012.

When a battery’s remaining capacity is no longer compatible with automotive use, or if it is still functional at the end of the vehicle's life, GAIA can also prepare it for new uses for example stationary storage or other mobility applications.

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First approval for an Individual System

The Future is NEUTRAL has been given approval to operate an IS, which allows manufacturers to demonstrate that they fulfil their obligations under EPR regulations, without delegating them to a collective structure managed by the state. 

Yann Velluet, VP Battery Business at The Future is NEUTRAL, says: “This first approval reinforces our belief in the competitiveness of our IS offer for the end-of-life management of electric vehicle batteries. 

“Leveraging the complementary expertise of our subsidiaries and partners, we offer our circular economy solutions to all automotive manufacturers.”