As the number of electric vehicles and battery-powered devices increases, the partnership brings together Enva’s nationwide collection infrastructure and extensive relationships with car dealerships, along with Altilium’s expertise in the recycling of old EV batteries and recovery of critical materials, including lithium.

Altilium’s proprietary EcoCathode process converts end-of-life EV batteries and manufacturing scrap into sustainable battery precursors, cathode active materials (CAM) and cathode precursor (pCAM) for direct reuse in new batteries.

Across its 38 sites in Britain & Ireland, Enva deploys latest technologies to recover as many valuable secondary materials as possible from industrial scrap.

Under the agreement, Enva and Altilium will work together to explore initiatives including the safe collection of EV batteries from across the UK for recycling using the EcoCathode process.

Using advanced hydrometallurgical recycling processes, Altilium can recover over 95% of the battery metals, in a format that can be directly reused in the production of new batteries.

The arrangement benefits Altilium by removing the need to set up its own collections, and in supplying relationships with waste producers and automotive OEMs.

The partnership will also provide feed Altilium’s intended Teesside refinery. Coded as ACT 4, Teesside is planned as Britain’s only depot refining lithium ion to battery-ready Cathode Active Materials (CAM), of high enough quality for direct re-use in making new batteries. Teesside will be big enough to recycle batteries from 150,000 EVs every year, producing 30,000 tonnes of CAM, enough to meet 20% of Britain’s expected demand as this decade ends.

Michael Sneath, head of Enva’s batteries division, commented: “Expert handling and storage of this potentially hazardous material is paramount.

“This collaboration will solve an emerging problem for our customers, enhancing the UK’s recycling capabilities and contributing to the circular economy by transforming used batteries into valuable raw materials for new batteries.”

His counterpart at Altilium, Rod Savage responded: “By leveraging Enva’s collection network and our processing expertise, we aim to set a new standard in battery recycling, ensuring maximum recovery of materials and supporting the growth of the EV market in an environmentally responsible way.”

Before the early 2030s, over 100 million EV batteries worldwide are expected to end their working lives.  By recycling Britain’s share within our borders, Altilium & Enva intend that valuable resources remain in the UK supply chain.

Altilium is the UK’s only company in upcycling old EV material to produce high nickel CAM for direct re-use in new powerpacks. Its proprietary EcoCathode process results in a 60% reduction in carbon emissions and 20% lower costs compared to virgin materials.

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At its recycling plant in Devon, Altilium Metals has extracted what battery scientists refer to as Cathode Active Materials from the “black mass” residue in exhausted batteries.

CAM encompasses critical compounds such as nickel, lithium, copper and cobalt.  Altilium firm has delivered its first samples to Imperial College, London, to be analysed under a joint research programme partly funded by the UK government’s Automotive Transformation Fund.

Under the programme, Altilium works with Imperial to compare the electrochemical performance of the recycled materials, benchmarking them against newly manufactured cathodes made from virgin materials.

The compounds will be analysed in coin cells and single layer pouch cells, similar to those powering cars such as the Nissan Leaf.  The object of the exercise is to demonstrate if Altilium Metals’ recycled CAM can lower costs in producing new batteries from recycled materials.

The collaboration is one of 22 projects to receive funding through a competition run last year by the government’s Advanced Propulsion Centre.

Dr. Christian Marston, the firm’s chief technical officer  commented: “Cathode Active Material (CAM) is key to electric vehicle battery performance.  At our battery technology centre we are using advanced materials science to re-engineer and upcycle battery scrap to produce new and relevant cathode active materials, reducing the UK’s dependency on overseas supply chains.”

Dr. Magda Titirici, Imperial’s professor of sustainable energy materials, added: “We are excited to be working with Altilium on the very important issue of creating a circular battery supply chain. Tney’ll make a significant contribution towards achieving the UK’s net zero goals.

“As well as testing the recycled cathode materials, our research team will be working to optimise their performance to the same or even higher levels as cathodes made from virgin metals.”

A spokesperson for the Advanced Propulsion Centre described the link: “As an exciting step forward in the challenge to improve the critical materials supply for the electrification of vehicles. The programme also demonstrates the benefits of sustainable end-oflife battery recycling, reducing the UK’s dependency on overseas supply chains.

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