Altilium creates EV battery cells with recycled materials
Devon-based lean technology group Altilium has produced the first EV battery cells using recycled cathode active materials at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre.
The breakthrough marks the first time that recycled materials have been used to produce new battery cells in an industrial environment in the UK and marks an important step towards the development of a circular economy for EV batteries, the company said.
The pouch cells were manufactured at UKBIC’s state-of-the-art facility in Coventry using Altilium’s recycled EcoCathode™ NMC 811-2036 CAM, produced at its recycling facilities in Devon. By recovering these critical metals from end-of-life EV batteries and Gigafactory waste, Altilium is reducing the UK’s reliance on imported raw materials and also cutting the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing, making EVs even greener.
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 will need to 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.
The recycling process begins with the dismantling and shredding of end-of-life EV batteries to produce a fine powder know 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.
Dr Christian Marston, Altilium co-founder and COO, commented: “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.”
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.”
