Altilium recycling LFP EV batteries for global OEM

Lithium-ion battery recycler Altilium has begun recycling lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in the United Kingdom. The LFP batteries being recycled are from a global electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage systems (ESS) manufacturer.

Altilium, also headquartered in the U.K., says the strategic move underscores its commitment to building a sustainable supply chain for critical battery materials and reducing the environmental impact of battery production in the region.

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The company claims its proprietary EcoCathode technology can recover more than 97 percent of the lithium and 99 percent of the graphite from end-of-life LFP batteries for reuse in new ones, not only strengthening the business model for recycling LFP batteries but also enabling automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to meet new regulatory targets and sustainability goals.

Altilium notes that most EVs use nickel cobalt manganese (NMC) batteries, but the rise of LFP presents new opportunities for recycling and resource conservation. According to the Advanced Propulsion Centre, LFP batteries are set to grow from 18 percent of the U.K. EV market in 2027 to 25 percent in 2035, and this shift to LFP batteries presents a challenge for battery recyclers, as the iron and phosphate are less valuable than nickel and cobalt and less likely to be recycled.

Altilium is addressing the challenge by recovering more of the lithium, which it describes as a high-value material, as well as recycling the graphite, which can be reused in the production of new anodes.

“The rise of LFP batteries presents both challenges and opportunities for recyclers,” Altilium Chief Operating Officer Christian Marston says. “At Altilium, we are pioneering solutions to ensure these batteries are not only recovered but play a key role in a U.K. circular battery economy. Our advanced EcoCathode technology allows us to efficiently extract lithium and graphite, making LFP recycling commercially viable and environmentally essential. By expanding our capabilities to process LFP alongside NMC batteries, we are strengthening the U.K.’s battery supply chain and supporting the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable transport sector.”

Altilium already is recycling NMC batteries from two U.K.-based automotive OEMs, as well as gigafactory production scrap, to produce modern high-nickel cathode active materials (CAM) at its ACT1 and ACT2 facilities.

The company’s recently opened ACT2 recycling plant in Plymouth, England, has the capacity to recover lithium and other battery metals from 300 kilograms of black mass per day, while its planned Teesside hub is designed to be one of the largest EV battery recycling facilities in Europe. The company expects the plant to have the capacity to process scrap from more than 150,000 EVs per year and has been designed to handle a mixed feed of battery chemistries, including LFP.