Clean technology company Altilium has successfully produced the UK’s first EV battery cells using recycled cathode active materials (CAM) at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) in Coventry.
The breakthrough represents the first time recycled materials have been used to produce new battery cells in an industrial environment in the UK, marking a significant step toward developing a circular economy for EV batteries.
The pouch cells were manufactured using Altilium’s recycled EcoCathode NMC 811-2036 CAM, produced at its Devon facilities. By recovering critical metals from end-of-life EV batteries and factory waste, the company aims to reduce the UK’s dependence on imported raw materials while decreasing the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing.
The cells will undergo comprehensive validation studies with a leading automotive manufacturer. Under upcoming EU Battery Regulations, new EV batteries sold in the EU will require minimum levels of recycled lithium, nickel, and cobalt from 2031, with further increases in 2036. Altilium’s battery cells are the first manufactured in the UK to comply with these regulations.
The recycling process involves dismantling and shredding end-of-life EV batteries to produce a powder called black mass. Using Altilium’s EcoCathode process, over 95% of critical battery metals are recovered and upcycled to produce high-nickel NMC 811 CAM for new batteries.
“This milestone marks the first time full battery circularity has been achieved in the UK,” said Dr. Christian Marston, Altilium co-founder and COO. “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.”
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.”
Altilium’s planned ACT4 recycling plant in Teesside will have capacity to produce 30,000 tonnes of CAM annually, potentially meeting nearly 20% of expected UK demand by 2030.
