The Quiet EU Pilot That Could Rewrite EV Recycling

BeyondBattRec aims to recover 95% of critical metals and over 70% of total battery weight, powering the EU's circular battery strategy

5 Mar 2025

Europe has begun testing new techniques to recover critical metals from end-of-life electric vehicle batteries as part of an EU-backed project led by Aalborg University. The BeyondBattRec initiative aims to extract up to 95 per cent of cobalt, nickel, copper and lithium, and to reuse more than 70 per cent of total battery weight through cleaner recycling processes.

Rising adoption of electric vehicles has increased pressure on battery recycling systems, many of which still lose valuable materials or generate high emissions. The project’s pilot seeks to improve recovery rates while lowering environmental impact, positioning recycling as a core part of the region’s industrial strategy.

The effort comes ahead of tighter EU rules that will require more recycled material in new batteries from 2030. Officials view enhanced recycling capacity as essential to cutting dependence on imported metals and to supporting domestic battery manufacturing.

“This isn’t just about meeting regulations,” said Dr Lars Hendriksen, the project’s lead researcher. “It’s about redefining batteries as part of a circular ecosystem.”

BeyondBattRec is supported by a consortium of 12 partners including Siemens, Varta, Accurec and Coventry University. The group is testing whether laboratory methods can be adapted for commercial use in a fragmented European market.

Industry analysts say the outcome of the pilot could influence investment decisions across the battery supply chain. Higher recovery rates could reduce pressure on mining projects and shift funding towards recycling infrastructure, though commercialisation will depend on cost, access to used batteries and consistent regulatory incentives.

European regulators have encouraged companies to develop cross-border systems for battery collection and materials handling, but national rules on waste management and transport remain varied. Market participants say predictable policy frameworks will be needed to support long-term planning.

Researchers involved in the project note that the shift to circular systems will take time, given the limited volumes of end-of-life batteries currently available. Pilot-scale results will inform decisions on future facilities as larger numbers of EV batteries reach retirement later in the decade.

Europe’s battery strategy now extends beyond manufacturing capacity to include resource efficiency and environmental performance. The BeyondBattRec tests mark an early step in the region’s attempt to build a more integrated, closed-loop supply chain for the next generation of electric vehicles.