The UK-based technology group uses a trademarked process it calls “EcoCathode” to recover over 97% of the lithium and 99% of the graphite from LFP batteries.
The LFP batteries being recycled are from an unnamed “global leader” in the production of electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
Currently most electric vehicles use nickel cobalt manganese (NMC) batteries, but growing numbers use LFP. The Advanced Propulsion Centre predicted that the use of LFP batteries is set to increase from 18% to 25% in 2035.
This shift to LFP batteries presents a challenge for battery recyclers, as the iron and phosphate are less valuable than nickel and cobalt.
Dr Christian Marston, Altilium COO, commented: “The rise of LFP batteries presents both challenges and opportunities for recyclers. At Altilium, we are pioneering solutions to ensure these batteries are not only recovered but play a key role in a UK 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 UK’s battery supply chain and supporting the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable transport sector.”
Altilium currently recycled NMC batteries at two of its facilities in Devon – named ACT1 and ACT2.
The technology group is in the process of developing a Teesside hub which is reportedly set to be one of the largest electric vehicle recycling facilities in Europe. The plant will have the capacity to process scrap from over 150,000 electric vehicles per year and has been designed to handle a mixed feed of battery chemistries, including LFP.
At the start of the year, Japanese trading and investment group Marubeni announced an investment of US$5 million (£4.02 million) into the site.
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