gomi has created a portable speaker, powered by 100% repurposed e-bike batteries.
gomi works with partners, such as Lime, the global e-bike provider, taking battery packs from e-bikes that are no longer in use from around the streets of London. The packs would normally be recycled or sent to landfill, but gomi can give them another life, by turning the repurposed battery cells into battery packs to power their new collection of gomi speakers.
How does gomi do it?
The harvested battery packs are removed from the e-bikes. Each one is carefully checked for safety and capacity. gomi does not use any cells which would sacrifice the performance of the battery life of the speaker.
Each cell is removed by hand, and tested for capacity to ensure the speaker is given a long battery life. Any cells that don’t meet the requirement or are unstable, are sent to a specialist lithium ion recycling partner in the UK.
The gomi battery packs consist of x4 18650 repurposed cells. This gives the gomi speaker a 30+ hour battery life when playing at regular volume – yes, products made sustainably can perform great too.
The gomi speaker is put together by hand in the Brighton studio space. They use silicone pads to create an airtight seal, meaning zero glues are used and also the speaker is easily repairable for life should it get damaged.
What sustainability impact has gomi had?
Assuming without gomi, Lime would be recycling their batteries in conforming to the EU Battery Directive minimum recycling rate of 50% per weight by battery.
For every battery pack (50 cells) gomi uses in their products, there is a saving of: 21.96kg CO2e
A bit about gomi?
In the current climate of mass production, low-cost and low-quality products, gomi aims to promote conscious purchase decisions. Inspired by the cradle-to-cradle design process, the carbon neutral brand considers the full lifecycle of its products and demonstrates how good design can provide solutions to the urgent post-consumer waste problem.
The brand is on a mission to transform how we see waste. Showcasing how a sustainable and a forward thinking approach to design can create not only beautiful products, but inject personality back into the consumer technology sector.
Each speaker is made from the equivalent of 44 plastic bags and repurposed lithium batteries from e-bike battery packs.
All handmade in the gomi studio in Brighton, each speaker is totally unique. The brand’s signature marbling pattern means every speaker will have its own distinctive aesthetic, no two speakers, even in the same colourway, will ever be like for like.
Want to send your batteries for repurposing?
gomi partners with companies/brands to repurpose battery packs. If you’d like to discuss a partnership to repurpose your battery packs, please go to our webpage here, or email us at battery@gomi.design