Recycling could enable Europe to cut its reliance on EV battery mineral imports by up to a quarter by the end of the decade, a new study finds.

Materials from end-of-life batteries and gigafactory scrap have the potential to build up to 2.4 million EVs locally in 2030, according to the research by Transport & Environment (T&E).

Recycling spent cells and production scrap could provide 14 per cent of the lithium, 16 per cent of the nickel, 17 per cent of the manganese, and a quarter (25 per cent) of the cobalt that Europe will need for electric cars in 2030. These could then rise dramatically, and the region has the potential to be almost self-sufficient in cobalt for electric cars in 2040.

Julia Poliscanova, senior director for vehicles and emobility supply chains at T&E, said: “If Europe delivers on its recycling plans, it can slash its reliance on imported critical metals. The expected volumes of locally recovered materials can enable Europe to build millions of clean electric vehicles locally.”

As well as reducing both extraction and imports of raw materials, recycling in Europe could cut the carbon footprint of sourcing lithium by almost a fifth (19 per cent) compared to extracting it in Australia and refining it in China due to Europe’s cleaner electricity grid. But to reap the economic and sustainability benefits, Europe needs to scale up its recycling industry. Almost half of the recycling capacity that has been announced for the region is on hold or uncertain to go ahead, according to the report.

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