Two European startups have reached key milestones in electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling as they prepare to meet upcoming EU regulations and reduce reliance on China's battery supply chain. From August 2030, European automakers must ensure a minimum percentage of recycled materials in their EV batteries, spurring companies to develop advanced recycling technologies.

British startup Altilium has demonstrated that small batteries made with its recycled cathode active materials perform as well as or better than those using virgin materials from China. Research from Imperial College London showed that its process cuts CO2 emissions by 70% and reduces costs by 20%. The company, backed by investors including Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile and Marubeni, is currently working with Tata Motors' JLR to recycle materials from old Jaguar i-Pace EVs.

Germany's tozero is developing a net-zero emissions process for recycling graphite, a key battery material that accounts for 40% of a lithium-ion battery's carbon footprint. With E17 million in investment from backers including Honda, tozero plans to build a pilot plant within two years and produce around 2,000 tonnes of recycled graphite annually by 2027. The company is in talks with global automakers to supply them with its recycled materials, supporting the industry's shift towards more sustainable EV production.