Innovative method that can transform how EV batteries are recycled
Recycling electric vehicle (EV) batteries is challenging, but growing demand for rare metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel is driving innovation. At Altilium, a UK-based recycling firm, old EV batteries are shredded into a fine “black mass,” from which valuable materials are extracted using advanced solvent techniques. These recovered metals are used to produce new batteries, helping to reduce reliance on environmentally and ethically problematic mining operations abroad. As EV use surges—nearly one in five cars sold in 2023 was electric—battery recycling becomes essential to meeting demand and achieving net-zero goals. Altilium, which launched its facility in Tavistock, England, in 2022, is now expanding with a larger plant near Plymouth. Alongside firms like Li-Cycle in North America and Europe, Altilium is helping to create a circular economy, where fewer materials go to waste. Recycling also prevents toxic substances from entering the environment, offering both economic and environmental benefits. Learn more about this method.
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