In a UK first, the project will see the partners produce and test EV battery pouch cells containing both cathode and anode materials recovered from end-of-life EV batteries, marking an important step towards establishing a fully circular EV battery supply chain in the UK.
Together, these advances will demonstrate that end-of-life EV batteries can be processed to recover high-value materials for integration into next-generation battery production, reducing reliance on imported materials and cutting carbon emissions.
Recovery of cathode and anode materials will take place at Altilium’s ACT2 pilot facility in Plymouth, using the company's proprietary EcoCathode and EcoAnde processes. The company’s advanced hydrometallurgical process can recover 95 percent of the cathode metals and 99 percent of the graphite from end-of-life EV batteries and production scrap.
Recovered materials will then be used to manufacture electrodes on WMG’s Advanced Materials Battery Industrialisation Centre (AMBIC) prototyping line, which can process kgs of battery materials under industrially representative electrode designs and processing conditions. From these electrodes, WMG will manufacture and test NMC 811 pouch cells containing 100 percent recycled anode materials and cathode active materials (CAM) containing recycled cathode metals that meet the EU's minimum recycled content targets for 2036 (26 percent cobalt, 12 percent lithium and 15 percent nickel).
WMG will also produce and test electrodes and cells using second-generation recycled cathode and anode materials (recovered by Altilium from EV batteries containing previously recycled materials), thus establishing a fully circular supply chain.
JLR will provide strategic oversight throughout the programme, reviewing cell performance and material testing results to assess suitability for future automotive applications.
In addition, sustainability consulting and advisory group Minviro will carry out a comprehensive lifecycle analysis (LCA) of the anode recovery and battery cell production, quantifying the carbon savings and environmental benefits.
The project builds on previous collaboration between the three partners (under the APC's ARMD3 competition) on understanding the impact of incorporating recycled CAM into new battery cells, and the subsequent carbon saving benefits. Electrochemical testing of these cells demonstrated comparable performance with commercial materials and a 32 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to cells using virgin materials mined and refined in Asia.
Expanding the scope to include anode materials positions Altilium as the UK's only company capable of recovering both anode and cathode materials at pilot scale, creating a first-of-its-kind domestic capability.
“We are proud to be continuing our partnership with JLR and WMG, which builds on the success of our APC ARMD3 collaboration, where we demonstrated the UK’s first EV battery cells produced using recycled cathode active materials” said Dr Christian Marston, COO and co-founder of Altilium. “With the inclusion of recycled graphite in this new project, the UK will now have a viable route to produce both cathode and anode materials domestically, an essential step for car manufacturers seeking supply chain resilience and sustainable battery materials.”
Graphite is the single largest material in an EV battery, comprising up to 50 percent of a battery by volume, while CAM is the most valuable component, accounting for 37 percent of cell cost. The current supply chain for cathode and anode materials is dominated by China, leaving the UK vulnerable to disruption and cost volatility.
According to the APC, the UK automotive industry will need 140,000 tonnes a year of CAM and 90,000 tonnes of anode materials to achieve its production target of 1.3 million EVs by 2035.
By securing domestic supply of these critical materials through recycling of spent batteries, Altilium is supporting new domestic manufacturing capabilities, reducing reliance on imported raw materials and helping British car manufacturers to comply with EU Battery Regulations and Rules of Origin requirements for tariff-free trade.
Delivered by the Department for Business and Trade in partnership with the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) and Innovate UK, the DRIVE35 programme is part of the UK Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, which outlines its commitment to a zero-emission future, with an unprecedented £4 billion of grant funding available to 2035 for automotive R&D, scale-up, and transformation.
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