Jaguar Land Rover has joined a consortium with LiBatt Recycling, Mint Innovation and WMG at the University of Warwick to develop large-scale recycling of end-of-life electric vehicle batteries in the UK, backed by £8.1 million in funding.
The three-year project, running until 2028 in the West Midlands, will focus on low-carbon hydrometallurgical refining of black mass from lithium-ion batteries, recovering lithium, nickel and cobalt for reuse. The initiative aims to support a domestic circular supply chain at a time when the UK is expected to generate around 235 kilotonnes of EV battery waste by 2040.
Half of the funding, £4.05 million, comes from the Department for Business and Trade through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) as part of the £2.5 billion DRIVE35 programme to strengthen the UK’s EV supply chain. Jaguar Land Rover contributes automotive application expertise, LiBatt Recycling oversees collection and processing, Mint Innovation supplies refining technology, and WMG supports integration into new cells.
“Together, we’re able to advance zero-emission automotive manufacturing at a faster pace, pioneering sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling solutions to secure onshore supply of green materials critical for the UK’s rapidly growing EV industry,” said Dr Will Barker, CEO of Mint Innovation.
Ian Constance, CEO of APC UK, said the funding “underlines the commitment from government to secure advanced manufacturing in the UK.” Dr Beth Johnston of WMG added the project would help reduce reliance on virgin resources and strengthen supply chain resilience.