A Plymouth technology firm is working with luxury car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on a major clean energy project.
Under the scheme, Devon-based Altilium will recycle old electric vehicle batteries, extracting materials such as lithium and nickel, at its pilot facility in Tavistock. The materials will then be used to be produce new battery cells at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) – the UK’s national battery manufacturing scale-up facility.
JLR will conduct comprehensive validation studies on the batteries, Altilium said.
Dr Christian Marston, Altilium’s chief operating office, said: “We are proud to lead this pioneering project with JLR that brings us one step closer to a circular economy for battery materials in the UK.
“By demonstrating that EV battery cells made from recovered materials can meet the rigorous standards of the automotive industry, we’re not only reducing the environmental impact of battery production but also supporting the UK’s efforts to build a more sustainable and resilient EV supply chain.
“This project is a vital milestone in our mission to decarbonize the battery value chain and support automotive OEMs in achieving their regulatory and sustainability goals.”
In May, Altilium secured hundreds of thousands of pounds from the government. The firm received grant funding of £639,797 from Innovate UK’s Faraday Battery Challenge – a scheme to invest in research and innovation projects, and facilities, to drive the growth of battery businesses in the UK.
Sean Gilgunn, managing director of UKBIC, added: “We’re delighted to be part of this innovative project which will help the industry move towards an even cleaner future.”
Altilium is also working with car maker Nissan on another project that will see it open a new £30m EV battery recycling plant in Teeside. The programme is part of the multimillion-pound collaborative scheme announced by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), which has been awarded grant funding of £15m.