Materia AI said it has received UK government grant funding to support the development of an artificial intelligence platform aimed at improving the management of end-of-life electric vehicle batteries.
The funding was awarded through Innovate UK’s Early Stage Growth Catalyst programme and will be used to develop ReGenTrace AI, a cloud-based system designed to support data analysis and traceability in battery collection, recycling and materials recovery. The company said the platform integrates machine learning, predictive modelling and blockchain-based tracking.
See also: Honda, Princeton NuEnergy Sign Battery Recycling Pact After Joint Cathode Tests
Materia AI said ReGenTrace AI is intended to be used by participants across the battery value chain, including logistics providers, recyclers, materials developers and vehicle manufacturers. The platform is being developed as volumes of electric vehicle batteries reaching end of life are expected to increase over the coming years.
According to data cited by the company from the Advanced Propulsion Centre, recycled battery materials could supply up to 20% of the UK’s automotive battery demand by 2035 if scrap from gigafactories and end-of-life batteries is fully recovered and refined. The company said current recycling processes are fragmented and rely heavily on manual operations, limiting efficiency and material recovery.
See also: The Future is NEUTRAL Wins France’s First Individual System Approval for EV Battery Recycling
The ReGenTrace AI platform is expected to include functions for optimising battery collection and logistics, identifying battery types and chemistries using computer vision, and estimating black mass composition to support feedstock valuation. Additional planned features include battery provenance tracking, forecasting of recycled material demand and pricing, and lifecycle emissions analysis.
Materia AI said initial modules of the platform are scheduled to be deployed by the end of March, with testing planned at a UK battery recycling facility. The initial deployment is expected to focus on identifying battery materials and predicting waste composition to support processing decisions.
See also: Accurec Opens New Lithium Recovery Facility in Germany to Boost EU Battery Recycling
The company said that while the platform is initially being developed for electric vehicle battery recycling, it could also be applied in other parts of the battery supply chain, including battery materials production and manufacturing.
Innovate UK’s Early Stage Growth Catalyst programme supports early-stage companies developing technologies aligned with government priority areas, including artificial intelligence, with the aim of encouraging commercial development and adoption.
