Altilium produces first recycled battery cells in UK

Artist’s impression of Actilium site in Teeside - the location could recycle 150,000 EV battery packs per year (Photo: Actilium)

Battery tech specialist Altilium has reported that it has produced the first EV battery cells in the UK using recycled cathode active materials (CAM).

The pouch cells were produced at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) in Coventry using the recycled ECOCathode NMC 811-2036 CAM from Altilium.

The battery cells are now set to undergo validation studies to verify regulatory and sustainability factors.

Under EU regulations, new EV batteries sold into the market from 2031 need to contain minimum levels of recycled lithium, nickel and cobalt. Those levels will be further increased in 2036.

According to Altilium, the cells are the first to be manufactured in the UK which comply with the new regulations.

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.”

Should the battery cells go into large-scale commercial production, it is hoped that it would reduce national reliance on imported raw materials, while also cutting the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing.

Altilium’s planned ACT4 recycling plant in Teeside, UK, will have the capacity to produce 30,000 tonnes of CAM per year by 2030. This is said to be sufficient to support about 20% of total UK demand.