An industry-academia consortium, consisting of
Mint Innovation,
warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg University of Warwick — WMG,
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and
LiBatt Recycling Ltd, is set to accelerate lithium-ion battery recycling research. Funded by the UK Department for Business and Trade through the
Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), the project will see the expansion of Mint Innovation’s technology platform to recover lithium, nickel and cobalt from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, helping the UK automotive industry with onshore and circular supply of lithium, cobalt and nickel critical for electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
Each consortium partner has a role to play in ensuring a sustainable lifecycle for lithium-ion batteries, from end-of-life battery supply and processing through to integrating recycled materials into new batteries, closing the loop and increasing supply chain resilience. Louis Piper, professor of battery innovation at WMG, said: “We are incredibly excited to be working in this consortium to manufacture lithium-ion battery materials from recycled sources.”
Dr Beth Johnston, assistant professor for Cathode Materials Synthesis for EV batteries, at WMG added: “Our advanced processes aim to not only deliver high-quality materials that meet the rigorous performance demands of the modern battery applications but also help to reduce our reliance on virgin materials, addressing critical supply chain challenges and advancing circularity to pave the way for more widespread and sustainable electrification.”
Sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling solutionsDr Barker, CEO of Mint Innovation, said: “Our team is incredibly excited to partner with JLR, LiBatt Recycling, and WMG in this innovative consortium. Together, we are 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.”
APC CEO Ian Constance said: “This new investment underlines the commitment from the Government to secure advanced manufacturing in the UK. I am pleased that the APC, Zenzic, and its delivery partners are here to facilitate a new wave of funding in the automotive industry, supporting innovation, driving scale-up, and enabling transformation.”
The three-year project in the West Midlands is part of the UK Government’s DRIVE35 programme, which is investing £2.5 billion to power the UK automotive industry and job creation, helping secure its domestic supply chains and meet ambitious ‘net zero’ targets through innovative, clean solutions.