Altilium Clean Technology announced it has secured £18.5 million in funding from the UK Government to accelerate the scale-up of its electric vehicle battery recycling capabilities. The grant was awarded through the DRIVE35 Scale-Up Fund and delivered by the Department for Business and Trade in partnership with the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK and Innovate UK.
The funding will support the development of Altilium’s ACT3 facility in Plymouth, Devon, which is set to become the UK’s first commercial-scale electric vehicle battery recycling plant. The project represents a significant step toward establishing a domestic circular supply chain for battery materials, reducing reliance on imported resources while strengthening national energy security.
The ACT3 facility is already shovel-ready, with permitting processes underway. Once operational, it is expected to process up to 24,000 end-of-life EV batteries annually. The plant will recover and produce critical battery materials, including nickel mixed hydroxide precipitate, lithium sulphate, and graphite. In addition to advancing recycling capacity, the facility is projected to create approximately 70 high-value clean technology jobs in the South West of England.
Altilium’s initiative aligns with broader efforts to support the transition to zero-emission transport by ensuring a sustainable and localized supply of battery materials. By recovering battery-grade inputs from used EVs, the company aims to reduce environmental impact while reinforcing the resilience of the UK’s clean energy infrastructure.
The ACT3 project also serves as a foundation for Altilium’s future ACT4 facility, which is expected to significantly expand recycling capacity to handle up to 150,000 EV batteries per year. The ACT4 site is also planned to include the UK’s only production of cathode active materials, further strengthening the domestic battery ecosystem.
The company emphasized that continued collaboration with government partners is critical to advancing a low-carbon, circular battery economy and positioning the UK as a leader in sustainable EV supply chains.
