Volkswagen Group France et la Société Nouvelle d’Affinage des Métaux (SNAM) signed a partnership agreement through which the hybrid and EV batteries from group brands—Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, ŠKODA and Volkswagen Utilities—will be recycled in the two French factories owned by SNAM, Saint-Quentin-Fallavier (Isère) and Viviez (Aveyron).

Through this agreement, SNAM (a subsidiary of Floridienne Group) will be responsible not only for dismantling and recycling, but also the collection of batteries from electric and hybrid vehicles (NiMH and Li-ion). The NiMH and Li-Ion batteries will be treated in compliance with European environmental standards.

The collection and recycling of industrial batteries in Europe are regulated by the European Directive 2006/66/EC, which entered into force on 26 September 2006. Although the Directive does not specify the collection targets for industrial batteries, the recycling must be at least 50% effective by weight (as of Sep 2011).

Volkswagen Group France and SNAM have established a program to ensure the traceability of batteries until the recycling system is fully in place.

In September 2013, SNAM signed a similar agreement with Honda for the recycling of batteries from hybrid vehicles in Europe.