South West firm produces UK’s first recycled EV cells
Devon-based Altilium has announced the successful production of the UK’s first EV battery cells using recycled cathode active materials (CAM).
The breakthrough marks the first time that recycled materials have been used to produce new battery cells in an industrial environment in the UK.
The pouch cells were manufactured at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) in Coventry using Altilium’s recycled EcoCathode™ NMC 811-2036 CAM, produced at its recycling facilities in Devon from end-of-life EV batteries and gigafactory waste.
The battery cells will now undergo comprehensive validation studies with a leading automotive OEM, supporting their regulatory and sustainability targets.
Under the EU’s Battery Regulations, new EV batteries sold into the EU must contain minimum levels of recycled lithium, nickel and cobalt from 2031, with further increases in 2036. Altilium’s battery cells are the first to be manufactured in the UK complying with the new regulations.
Dr Christian Marston, Altilium co-founder and COO, said: “This milestone marks the first time full battery circularity has been achieved in the UK, from recovering critical minerals, including lithium, from end-of-life EV batteries and upcycling them into a high-performance cathode, to manufacturing a new battery for validation with a leading UK automotive OEM.
“Through this collaboration with UKBIC, we are moving beyond the emerging black mass recycling industry and ensuring that these critical battery materials remain in the domestic supply chain. Having access to a manufacturing facility like this allows us to scale up and develop this innovative work, which is helping to position the UK at the forefront of sustainability and decarbonisation.”
How it works
The recycling process begins with the dismantling and shredding of end-of-life EV batteries to produce a fine powder known as black mass.
This black mass is then processed using Altilium’s EcoCathode™ process, which is able to recover over 95% of the critical battery metals, including lithium. The cathode metals are then upcycled to produce a high-nickel NMC 811 CAM, ready for re-use in a new battery.
According to research carried out by Imperial College London, Altilium’s recycled EV battery materials can match, and even surpass, the performance of virgin mined materials, enabling longer battery life, faster charging times and lower costs.
A sustainable source of battery raw materials
By demonstrating at-scale manufacturing of battery cells using recycled CAM, the collaboration with UKBIC is helping to advance commercialisation of Altilium's technology, paving the way for supply deals with automotive OEMs and battery manufacturers and de-risking investment in further scale-up, including construction of the UK’s largest planned commercial plant for EV battery recycling and CAM production.
Altilium's planned ACT4 recycling plant in Teesside will have capacity to produce 30,000 tonnes of CAM a year – enough to meet nearly 20% of expected UK demand by 2030.
The scale-up of Altilium’s recycling operations will also deliver wider benefits for the UK economy and the environment. By developing a domestic, sustainable source of battery raw materials, Altilium is helping to meet the growing demands of new green industries, such as EV manufacturing, while reducing the UK’s reliance on mined raw materials and supporting the transition to net zero.
Ameir Mahgoub, UKBIC’s Head of Product Engineering, added: “We're delighted to have been part of the team creating the UK's first battery cells made using CAM containing recycled material. This pioneering project could be just the start of a journey that sees the UK becoming less reliant on imported materials and create a new market in recycled EV batteries. We look forward to collaborating with Altilium on this exciting project as they take it forward.”
