Altilium secures £18.5m to build UK EV battery refinery

Altilium has secured £18.5m (US$23.5m) in UK government grant funding to build the ACT3 facility in Plymouth, Devon, the country’s first commercial refinery for recovering critical battery materials from end-of-life electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2026, with commissioning planned for end of 2027.

The funding comes through the DRIVE35 Scale-Up Fund, delivered by the Department for Business and Trade in partnership with the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) and Innovate UK. Once operational, the Plymouth plant will process 24,000 EV batteries per year, producing nickel mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), lithium sulphate and graphite for battery manufacturing.

Altilium’s hydrometallurgical recycling process recovers over 95% of cathode and anode materials from battery waste, with recycled materials delivering up to 74% lower emissions than mined alternatives, according to an independent lifecycle assessment. The ACT3 plant is expected to create 70 jobs in Plymouth, where Altilium already operates the UK’s only EV battery recycling pilot plant.

The £18.5m grant is expected to unlock additional private investment. Altilium has secured over £17m (US$21.6m) in private funding to date, including from SQM, Marubeni Corporation and Mizuho Bank.

In a statement, Christian Marston, Chief Operating Officer at Altilium, said: “This funding marks a pivotal moment for Altilium and for the UK’s battery ecosystem. By scaling our recycling technology and building the UK’s first commercial facility of its kind, we are closing the loop on battery materials and enhancing the growth, productivity and competitiveness of the UK automotive supply chain.”

Source: Altilium