Battery Recycling Companies Can Pro… AI recommendations | Parse
Which battery recycling companies can process electric vehicle battery packs at scale?
Data as of Sep 26, 2026 · Based on 300 AI responses from ChatGPT Search and Google AI Mode · See how Parse measures this
If you need commercial‑scale processing of EV battery packs, Ascend Elements is the best fit when you want direct conversion into cathode material at scale. Redwood Materials is ideal for U.S. high‑recovery refining and supply‑chain closure. Li‑Cycle fits buyers prioritizing a regional spoke‑and‑hub collection model; fits buyers prioritizing targeted, low‑emission hydrometallurgical recovery.
Best for U.S. buyers wanting high recovery and domestic supply‑chain closure: Redwood refines and remanufactures anode/cathode components and reports ~95% material recovery at commercial scale. Caveat: emphasis is on U.S. supply‑chain partnerships and scale.
Best when you need a scalable collection and pre‑treatment network: Li‑Cycle’s spoke‑and‑hub model shreds packs at regional spokes then processes black mass at hubs for high recovery. Caveat: final refining depends on centralized hubs.
Best when you want used packs turned directly into premium cathode material: Ascend’s Hydro‑to‑Cathode process and Georgia facility handle tens of thousands of batteries annually. Caveat: focus is on cathode remanufacture rather than raw smelting.
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Question: Which battery recycling companies can process electric vehicle battery packs at scale?
If by “at scale” you mean companies that have commercial facilities operating today and can handle EV-scale lithium-ion batteries, the North American field is narrower than the long list of announced recycling projects suggests.
Companies to look at
Company
Current scale / capability
EV-pack suitability
Status
Redwood Materials
>20 GWh of lithium-ion batteries received annually; company reports >95% recovery of critical materials
Yes — handles EV packs and modules, with a nationwide collection/logistics network
~20,000 metric tons/year design capacity at its Nevada commercial plant; operating continuously and scaling throughput
Yes — accepts end-of-life EV batteries among its feedstocks
Commercial operation
Ascend Elements
Covington, Georgia facility designed for 30,000 metric tons/year, roughly 70,000 EV-battery-pack equivalents
Yes — specifically designed around lithium-ion/EV batteries
Commercial facility, but corporate status has changed materially
Li-Cycle
Multiple Spokes; its Gen-3 technology can directly process full EV packs without disassembly/discharge
Yes
Commercial Spokes, but major financial/project restructuring
Ecobat
Historically operated lithium-ion recycling facilities in the U.S. and Europe and handled full-size EV batteries
Yes
No longer an independent lithium recycler; sold its lithium business in Sept. 2026
The strongest currently operating candidates
Redwood Materials is the standout in terms of actual battery volumes. Redwood says it received more than 20 GWh in 2024, equivalent to batteries from roughly 250,000 EVs, and its Tahoe Campus currently reports receiving more than 20 GWh annually. Its process covers EV packs as well as manufacturing scrap and consumer batteries.
ABTC is another genuine commercial-scale operator rather than merely a planned project. Its Nevada facility is designed for 20,000 metric tons/year, began commercial operations in 2023, and the company subsequently demonstrated throughput above its design rate and increased production through 24/7 operation. Its current feedstock includes substantial quantities from both EVs and grid-scale batteries.
Ascend Elements has a 30,000-ton/year Covington facility, equivalent to approximately 70,000 EV battery packs annually according to the company. However, I would treat Ascend differently from Redwood/ABTC when assessing a supplier or investment opportunity because its corporate/financial situation has changed substantially since those capacity announcements.
Li-Cycle is technologically relevant because its Gen-3 Spokes can take complete EV packs directly, rather than requiring them to be discharged and dismantled first. However, its planned Rochester Hub is a different matter: the company has had to secure financing/restructure the project, so its planned 35,000-ton/year Hub capacity shouldn't be confused with operating capacity today.
Ecobat deserves historical consideration but shouldn't be counted as a current standalone lithium-recycling company: on September 2, 2026, it announced completion of the sale of its lithium recycling business and said it was exiting lithium recycling entirely.
If you're evaluating them commercially
I'd distinguish three things that are often conflated:
Can physically accept whole EV packs?
Can process them at meaningful commercial throughput?
Can recover battery-grade materials rather than merely produce black mass?
On that basis, Redwood and ABTC are particularly interesting operating-scale examples in the U.S. Li-Cycle is notable for whole-pack processing technology, while Ascend has demonstrated substantial installed capacity but warrants a separate check on current corporate status.
If you're asking because you're looking for potential recycling partners for, say, 10,000–100,000 EV packs/year, I can also give you a more useful shortlist showing annual pack/tonnage capacity, chemistries accepted (LFP/NMC/NCA), whole-pack capability, locations, and whether they actually accept third-party feedstock.
ABTC is another genuine commercial-scale operator rather than merely a planned project. Its Nevada facility is designed for 20,000 metric tons/year, began commercial operations in 2023, and the company subsequently demonstrated throughput above its design rate and increased production through 24/7 operation. Its current feedstock includes substantial quantities from both EVs and grid-scale batteries.
Ascend Elements has a 30,000-ton/year Covington facility, equivalent to approximately 70,000 EV battery packs annually according to the company. However, I would treat Ascend differently from Redwood/ABTC when assessing a supplier or investment opportunity because its corporate/financial situation has changed substantially since those capacity announcements.
Li-Cycle is technologically relevant because its Gen-3 Spokes can take complete EV packs directly, rather than requiring them to be discharged and dismantled first. However, its planned Rochester Hub is a different matter: the company has had to secure financing/restructure the project, so its planned 35,000-ton/year Hub capacity shouldn't be confused with operating capacity today.
Ecobat deserves historical consideration but shouldn't be counted as a current standalone lithium-recycling company: on September 2, 2026, it announced completion of the sale of its lithium recycling business and said it was exiting lithium recycling entirely.
If you're evaluating them commercially
I'd distinguish three things that are often conflated:
Several major companies have established commercial-scale operations to process end-of-life electric vehicle (EV) battery packs and manufacturing scrap . They typically utilize a combination of mechanical shredding (producing "black mass") followed by hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical refining to reclaim critical minerals like lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese.
The leading companies capable of processing EV battery packs at scale include:
Redwood Materials (United States) — Founded by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel, Redwood is a prominent U.S. recycler. They operate massive facilities in Nevada and have secured major commercial partnerships and supply agreements with automakers like Ford, Volvo, and Panasonic. They use a mix of pyro- and hydrometallurgical processes to reclaim high percentages of nickel, cobalt, and lithium.
Li-Cycle (North America & Europe) — Known for its proprietary "Spoke & Hub" technology, Li-Cycle mechanically shreds battery packs and manufacturing scrap at localized "Spoke" facilities to safely produce black mass, which is then routed to centralized "Hub" refineries for chemical recovery. They have strong commercial backing and global partnerships with major automotive OEMs.
Cirba Solutions (North America) — With decades of industry experience and a vast operational footprint across North America, Cirba Solutions handles end-of-life EV battery packs and manufacturing scrap. They specialize in cross-chemistry solutions and have executed closed-loop recycling projects with major manufacturers like General Motors.
Umicore (Belgium) — A global pioneer in materials technology and circular supply chains, Umicore operates sophisticated smelting and hydrometallurgical refining facilities in Europe. They have established long-term closed-loop recycling partnerships with various global automakers and tier-one battery cell producers.
Glencore & Strategic Partners (Global) — Leveraging its massive global footprint in metal processing and trading, Glencore actively processes end-of-life EV batteries and production scrap to feed recycled raw materials directly back into the battery supply chain, frequently working in tandem with processing firms like Li-Cycle.
Fortum Battery Recycling (Europe) — Fortum operates cutting-edge recycling infrastructure in Europe, including low-CO₂ hydrometallurgical processing plants (such as their facility in Finland), providing safe logistics, dismantling, and closed-loop recovery for EV batteries.
American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) (United States) — Operating commercial-scale facilities in Nevada, ABTC utilizes integrated baseline recycling and custom hydrometallurgical extraction systems backed significantly by U.S. Department of Energy grants.
Would you like to explore a specific aspect of these companies, such as:
The difference between hydrometallurgical vs. pyrometallurgical processes
Geographic focus (North America vs. Europe vs. Asia)
Several major companies possess the operational infrastructure, commercial-scale facilities, and technological capability to process full electric vehicle (EV) battery packs at an industrial scale. They generally separate operations into pre-processing (safely discharging, dismantling, and shredding packs into "black mass") and refining/hydrometallurgy (recovering battery-grade lithium, cobalt, and nickel).
The leading commercial-scale players in the market include:
Redwood Materials (United States): Founded by Tesla co-founder J.B. Straubel, Redwood is a prominent player in North America. They operate massive recycling and refining campuses (primarily in Nevada) capable of processing thousands of end-of-life EV battery packs and manufacturing scrap. They utilize a hydrometallurgical approach to turn waste directly back into critical anode and cathode components. You can learn more about their ecosystem via Redwood Materials.
Li-Cycle (Global / North America & Europe): Li-Cycle utilizes a patented "Spoke & Hub" technology. Their local "Spoke" facilities can safely shred whole EV battery packs underwater without manual dismantling. This produces an intermediate product called black mass, which is then routed to their large-scale "Hub" refineries (like the Rochester Hub in New York) to yield battery-grade lithium carbonate, nickel, and cobalt. Explore their network details at Li-Cycle Holdings Corp.
CATL - Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (China): As the world's largest EV battery manufacturer, CATL operates an immense, vertically integrated recycling network through its subsidiary Brunp. Their facilities process hundreds of thousands of tons of spent batteries annually, achieving exceptionally high recovery rates for critical lithium salts and transition metals.
Umicore (Europe / Global): A long-established global materials technology and recycling heavyweight, Umicore operates major industrial-scale battery recycling facilities in Europe. They employ a unique combination of pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical refining to process complex streams of rechargeable automotive batteries and return high-purity metals to the supply chain. Check out their services at Umicore.
American Battery Technology Company - ABTC (United States): ABTC has constructed and commissioned integrated, commercial-scale lithium-ion battery recycling facilities in Nevada. Their system focuses on closed-loop extraction and primary resource processing to supply domestic low-cost battery metals. Information on their commercial plants is available at American Battery Technology Company.[1]
Glencore (Global): A massive multinational commodity trading and mining company, Glencore has heavily invested in industrial battery recycling, operating processing footprints across North America, South America, and Europe, alongside strategic partnerships with pure-play recyclers like Li-Cycle.
Would you like to focus on a specific geographic region (North America, Europe, or Asia) or explore the differences between hydrometallurgical vs. pyrometallurgical recycling processes?
Several companies can process electric vehicle (EV) lithium-ion battery packs at industrial scale, but “scale” can mean different things: pack collection/disassembly, shredding into black mass, or full refining back into battery-grade materials. The leading players are below.
Company
Region(s)
Scale capability
Main process/output
Redwood Materials
U.S.
Among the largest North American operators; reports processing more than 20 GWh/year of lithium-ion batteries and recovering battery materials at commercial scale.
Integrated recycling: pack handling, hydrometallurgy, recovery of lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, and production of battery materials.
Ascend Elements
U.S. and Europe
Commercial-scale facilities in the U.S.; reported large recycling and cathode-material production capacity.
“Hydro-to-Cathode” process converting recycled battery feedstock into cathode precursor materials and lithium products.
Li-Cycle
U.S., Canada, Europe
Built a “spoke-and-hub” network designed for high-volume battery intake; U.S. facilities have included tens of thousands of tons/year of planned or operational capacity.
Mechanical processing into black mass, followed by hydrometallurgical refining.
Cirba Solutions
U.S.
One of the larger U.S. battery recyclers, with announced facilities sized for large automotive volumes.
Collection, battery processing, and recovery of materials from lithium-ion batteries.
Umicore
Europe
Long-established industrial recycler with decades of experience in metals recovery.
Pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical recovery of metals such as cobalt, nickel, copper, and lithium-related materials.
Fortum
Europe
Industrial-scale battery recycling operations.
Mechanical processing plus hydrometallurgical recovery of battery materials.
SungEel HiTech
South Korea, U.S.
Large-scale recycler with international expansion; U.S. capacity listings include a Georgia facility.
Black mass production and recovery of battery metals.
Companies generally considered closest to “EV pack at scale”
For whole EV battery packs from automakers, fleets, salvage, and end-of-life vehicles, the strongest industrial-scale names include:
Redwood Materials — integrated U.S. operation with pack intake, recycling, and downstream materials production.
Ascend Elements — focused on closed-loop recycling into new battery materials rather than only commodity recovery.
Li-Cycle — designed around distributed collection (“spokes”) feeding centralized refining (“hubs”).
Cirba Solutions — major U.S. recycler with automotive battery focus.
Umicore / / SungEel — major international players, especially relevant for European and Asian supply chains.
A key distinction: many recyclers can shred EV packs into black mass, but fewer can perform the downstream refining needed to make battery-grade lithium, nickel, cobalt salts, or cathode materials that can go directly back into new EV batteries.
If you are evaluating vendors for an automaker, fleet, investor diligence, or a recycling facility partnership, the shortlist and criteria would be somewhat different.
Yes. If by “at scale” you mean companies with industrial facilities capable of handling EV packs/modules in the thousands to tens of thousands of tonnes per year, rather than lab or pilot recyclers, the field is relatively concentrated.
Strongest commercial-scale options
Company
Region
Scale / capability
My take
Redwood Materials
U.S.
~20 GWh/year of lithium-ion recycling; handles production scrap, battery packs and consumer batteries
Top U.S. option
Cirba Solutions
U.S.
Large network for collection, pack deinstallation and processing; expanding lithium-ion refining
Strong for fleet/OEM programs
Umicore
Europe/global
Industrial pyro-hydro recycling; >95% recovery for Ni/Co/Cu and >90% for lithium
Strongest established European option
Ascend Elements
U.S./Europe
Commercial-scale EV-battery intake and lithium recovery
Technically strong, but financial situation warrants diligence
SungEel HiTech
Asia/Europe/U.S.
Industrial hydrometallurgical recycling with multiple facilities
Significant international player
Fortum
Europe
Large-scale hydrometallurgical battery recycling
Good European option
GEM Co., Ltd.
China/global
Very large integrated battery recycling/materials operation
Major global-scale player
Brunp Recycling
China
Integrated recycling and battery-material production
One of the largest globally
Particularly relevant in North America
Redwood Materials is probably the first company I'd investigate for a large U.S. EV-pack stream. Redwood says it currently recovers more than 20 GWh of lithium-ion batteries annually, including battery packs, and produces more than 60,000 tonnes of critical materials. Its Nevada operation was designed around commercial-scale recycling and can process EV modules and other live battery feedstocks.
Cirba Solutions is particularly interesting if the requirement is not simply “send us black mass,” but pack collection, transportation, deinstallation and recycling. It explicitly offers EV battery recycling and nationwide battery-centric logistics. Its planned South Carolina facility is designed to produce battery-grade salts corresponding to roughly 500,000 EV batteries annually.
Ascend Elements has substantial EV-battery intake capability at its Covington, Georgia facility—its own materials describe 30,000 metric tons/year of end-of-life EV batteries and manufacturing scrap. It has also demonstrated commercial-scale lithium carbonate production. However, I'd treat it differently from Redwood/Cirba when assessing counterparty risk because the company entered Chapter 11 in 2026, according to recent industry reporting.
Umicore is one of the more established choices. Its industrial operation uses a pyro-hydrometallurgical process and reports recovery rates above 95% for cobalt, copper and nickel and above 90% for lithium.
Fortum Battery Recycling and SungEel HiTech are also worth including in a European RFP, particularly if you're looking for hydrometallurgical recovery and regional processing.
One important caveat: Li-Cycle
I would not put Li-Cycle in the same “ready, proven large-scale counterparty” bucket today. Its technology and spoke-and-hub model are highly relevant, but the company went through creditor protection and its assets were subsequently acquired by Glencore. So if you're evaluating vendors today, I'd investigate the resulting Glencore Battery Recycling operation rather than treating old Li-Cycle capacity announcements as available capacity.
If you're actually sourcing a recycler
For an OEM, dismantler, fleet, insurer, battery manufacturer, or scrap aggregator with hundreds/thousands of EV packs, I'd shortlist:
Umicore — established European/global recycling and refining.
SungEel HiTech — international industrial recycler.
Fortum — European option.
GEM / Brunp-CATL — enormous scale if China/Asia is within scope.
The key distinction is nominal recycling capacity vs. actual ability to accept whole EV packs. A company may advertise tens of thousands of tonnes of “battery recycling” capacity while actually being optimized for manufacturing scrap or preprocessed black mass. For a real procurement decision, I'd ask each company for pack formats accepted, chemistry mix, annual nameplate capacity, current utilization, minimum lot size, logistics/geographic limits, recovery yields, and whether they purchase the batteries or charge a recycling fee. EPA/DOE documentation likewise shows substantial differences among U.S. facilities in what form of material they process.
If you tell me U.S. vs. global, approximate tonnes/GWh per year, and whether you have whole packs or already-discharged modules, I can narrow this to the 5–10 recyclers that could realistically take your volume and compare their capacities, locations, technologies, and commercial status.
Cirba Solutions is particularly interesting if the requirement is not simply “send us black mass,” but pack collection, transportation, deinstallation and recycling. It explicitly offers EV battery recycling and nationwide battery-centric logistics. Its planned South Carolina facility is designed to produce battery-grade salts corresponding to roughly 500,000 EV batteries annually.
Ascend Elements has substantial EV-battery intake capability at its Covington, Georgia facility—its own materials describe 30,000 metric tons/year of end-of-life EV batteries and manufacturing scrap. It has also demonstrated commercial-scale lithium carbonate production. However, I'd treat it differently from Redwood/Cirba when assessing counterparty risk because the company entered Chapter 11 in 2026, according to recent industry reporting.
Umicore is one of the more established choices. Its industrial operation uses a pyro-hydrometallurgical process and reports recovery rates above 95% for cobalt, copper and nickel and above 90% for lithium.
Fortum Battery Recycling and SungEel HiTech are also worth including in a European RFP, particularly if you're looking for hydrometallurgical recovery and regional processing.
One important caveat: Li-Cycle
I would not put Li-Cycle in the same “ready, proven large-scale counterparty” bucket today. Its technology and spoke-and-hub model are highly relevant, but the company went through creditor protection and its assets were subsequently acquired by Glencore. So if you're evaluating vendors today, I'd investigate the resulting Glencore Battery Recycling operation rather than treating old Li-Cycle capacity announcements as available capacity.
If you're actually sourcing a recycler
For an OEM, dismantler, fleet, insurer, battery manufacturer, or scrap aggregator with hundreds/thousands of EV packs, I'd shortlist:
Several major companies have established commercial-scale operations to process entire electric vehicle (EV) battery packs, handling end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap. These companies generally utilize a combination of mechanical shredding (producing "black mass") and hydrometallurgical refining to extract critical elements like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese (Li, Co, Ni, Mn).
The leading industrial-scale players in the EV battery recycling market include:
Redwood Materials (United States) — Founded by former Tesla co-founder J.B. Straubel, Redwood is one of the most prominent scaling operations in North America. They have major processing facilities in Nevada and Tennessee, and maintain high-profile recycling partnerships with automakers like Ford, Volvo, and Panasonic, recovering over 95% of the critical metals from EV packs. You can learn more via the Redwood Materials Official Site.
Li-Cycle (North America & Europe) — Li-Cycle utilizes a "Spoke & Hub" technology model. Their regional "Spokes" mechanically shred battery packs safely without thermal processing to create black mass, while their central "Hubs" hydrometallurgically refine that material into battery-grade materials. They have scaled commercial operations in North America and expanding footholds in Europe through key partnerships with global automakers and miners like Glencore. Details are available at Li-Cycle Holdings Corp.
Umicore (Europe) — Based in Belgium, Umicore has deep roots in precious metals refining and operates advanced, industrial-scale proprietary pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical recycling facilities. They process a substantial volume of rechargeable battery materials and have long-term service agreements established with major European EV supply chains. Review their capabilities at Umicore Battery Recycling.
Ecobat (United States & Europe) — Traditionally a dominant force in lead-acid recycling, Ecobat has successfully pivoted and scaled commercial lithium-ion battery recycling infrastructure across multiple facilities in the US and Europe. They handle everything from collection and dismantling of large EV modules to safe discharge and processing. More information can be found at Ecobat.
American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) (United States) — ABTC has constructed integrated commercial-scale lithium-ion battery recycling and primary mineral extraction facilities in Nevada, focusing heavily on a closed-loop system designed to yield domestic battery-grade lithium hydroxide and transition metals. Learn more at American Battery Technology Company.
Would you like to narrow this down by geographic region (e.g., North America vs. Europe/Asia) or look specifically at companies utilizing direct recycling versus hydrometallurgical processing?
If by “at scale” you mean companies that can handle EV-sized lithium-ion battery packs in commercial volumes, rather than lab/pilot recycling, the leading North American players are:
Company
Scale / evidence
What makes it notable
Redwood Materials
>20 GWh/year of batteries received for recycling; >60,000 tons/year of critical-material output
One of the largest integrated U.S. recyclers/refiners; handles battery packs and manufacturing scrap and recovers lithium, nickel, cobalt and copper.
Ascend Elements
Covington, GA: up to 30,000 metric tons/year, roughly 70,000 EV packs
Particularly strong in converting recycled material into pCAM/cathode materials; also has large-scale operations in Kentucky.
Cirba Solutions
South Carolina flagship designed for >60,000 tons/year, equivalent to material for ~500,000 EV batteries
Broad collection/processing network and strong focus on end-of-life EV batteries plus gigafactory scrap.
Li-Cycle
Multiple commercial Spokes; Rochester Hub designed for 35,000 tons/year of black mass
Particularly relevant if you want a distributed network that can process full EV packs directly. Its Gen-3 Spokes in Arizona and Alabama can take full packs without prior dismantling/discharge.
SungEel HiTech
U.S. facility in Georgia; government data lists a 50,000-ton/year recycling facility
Major international battery recycler with a growing U.S. footprint.
Ecobat
Commercial lithium-ion recycling operation in Arizona; ~10,000 tons/year cited in industry capacity data
Established battery recycler with experience across collection, processing and material recovery.
My shortlist
If you're evaluating vendors for a large volume of used EV packs, I'd put these at the top:
Redwood Materials — strongest vertically integrated U.S. option.
Ascend Elements — particularly compelling if the goal is recycled material going back into cathode/battery production.
Cirba Solutions — strong logistics/collection network and very large planned processing capacity.
Li-Cycle — attractive for pack-to-black-mass processing through its distributed Spoke model, although its Rochester Hub has faced development/timing issues.
One important distinction: “capacity” isn't necessarily the same as current throughput. Some figures above are nameplate, planned, or ramping capacity. For procurement, I'd specifically verify current operating throughput, chemistry compatibility (NMC/NCA/LFP), whether they accept intact packs, minimum shipment volumes, transportation/hazardous-material requirements, and whether they pay for the packs or charge a recycling fee.
If you're looking at this from an investment, sourcing, or OEM perspective, I can also rank these companies by actual operating capacity, EV packs/year, LFP capability, geographic coverage, and financial/operational risk.
Several major companies now process large-scale electric vehicle (EV) battery packs, utilizing mechanical shredding (spoke/hub models), hydrometallurgical refining, or pyrometallurgical smelting to recover critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
The leading commercial-scale players in the EV battery recycling ecosystem include:
Redwood Materials : Founded by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel, Redwood is one of North America's largest and most prominent battery recyclers. They process production scrap and end-of-life EV battery packs (partnering with automakers like Ford, Volvo, and Panasonic) with a reclamation rate of over 95% for critical metals.
Li-Cycle : Operating a decentralized "Spoke and Hub" network, Li-Cycle safely shreds whole EV battery modules and packs at local "spokes" to produce an intermediate product (black mass), which is then processed at commercial hydrometallurgical "hubs" to yield battery-grade materials. They have major backing from global mining giants like Glencore.
Umicore : A global materials technology and recycling heavyweight based in Europe, Umicore has deep experience in complex metallurgy. They operate cutting-edge commercial facilities capable of handling large rechargeable battery streams and returning high-purity cathode materials directly back into the EV supply chain.
Ecobat : Traditionally a giant in lead-acid battery recycling, Ecobat has successfully scaled up extensive collection, dismantling, and lithium-ion recycling infrastructure across the US and Europe, servicing everything from manufacturing scrap to full end-of-life EV packs.
American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) : Operating major recycling and primary resource facilities in Nevada, ABTC uses closed-loop, custom hydrometallurgical processing to tear down and extract battery-grade materials from high-capacity EV packs at an industrial scale.
Ganfeng Lithium : A massive vertically integrated player based in China (which currently commands a dominant share of global battery recycling and processing capacity), Ganfeng runs massive commercial-scale operations dedicated to recycling end-of-life EV batteries alongside primary mineral extraction.
Would you like to focus on a specific geographic region (e.g., North America vs. Europe vs. Asia) or a particular recycling method (direct recycling vs. hydrometallurgical)?
Several prominent global companies have established large-scale, commercial facilities capable of processing whole electric vehicle (EV) battery packs. Rather than burning the components, these top-tier recyclers rely primarily on automated mechanical dismantling and hydrometallurgical processing (chemical leaching) to recover up to 95% of critical battery metals.
The leading battery recycling companies capable of processing EV packs at commercial scale include:
Redwood Materials
Scale & Footprint: Founded by Tesla co-founder JB Straubel, Redwood Materials operates a massive campus in Nevada and handles a significant portion of all end-of-life battery materials collected in North America.
Process: They accept complete EV packs, safely disassemble them, and refine materials down to elemental lithium, nickel, and cobalt.
Closed-Loop Target: Instead of just selling raw powder, Redwood processes the recovered metals directly back into ready-to-use anodes and cathodes for EV cell manufacturers.
Ascend Elements
Scale & Footprint: Headquartered in Massachusetts, Ascend Elements operates a large facility in Georgia that can process up to 70,000 EV battery equivalents annually.
Process: They utilize a patented "Hydro-to-Cathode" technology. This direct recycling method skips several traditional melting steps.
Output: It transforms shredded battery waste (known as "black mass") directly into high-purity precursor cathode active materials (pCAM ) tailored for new EV batteries.
Cirba Solutions
Scale & Footprint: Backed by over 30 years of operational experience, Cirba Solutions possesses the largest physical footprint in North America, running six active processing facilities.
Capability: They are a major partner for automotive OEMs, processing complex logistics, managing high-voltage battery storage, and processing massive volumes of manufacturing scrap and expired EV packs into the battery supply chain.
Glencore (Formerly Li-Cycle Assets)
Scale & Footprint:Glencore , a global mining and commodities titan, integrated the operational assets of Li-Cycle into its global metals recycling network.
Process: They leverage "Spoke" facilities designed specifically to receive fully loaded, un-discharged EV battery packs. The packs are submerged in a proprietary liquid solution and mechanically shredded into premium black mass without risk of fire.
Ecobat
Scale & Footprint: Historically known as the world’s largest lead recycler, Ecobat aggressively scaled into lithium-ion processing.
Capability: They recently commissioned three advanced lithium-ion diagnostics and dismantling facilities across Europe and North America to handle complex EV logistics, pack deactivation, and bulk dismantling.
International Scale Players
Umicore (Europe): A global materials technology company based in Belgium, Umicore uses a combined pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical setup to process bulk EV scrap and packs.
Ganfeng Lithium (Asia): As one of the world's largest lithium producers, Ganfeng Lithium operates a massive "urban mining" infrastructure in China, recycling high volumes of spent vehicle packs back into battery-grade chemicals.
Cylib (Europe): A rapidly expanding European startup that established a major facility in Dormagen, Germany, engineered specifically for end-of-life EV packs with an eco-efficient water-based chemical recovery process.
(Note: Major EV automakers like Tesla also operate in-house commercial recycling lines at their Gigafactories in Nevada and Texas, recycling thousands of tons of manufacturing scrap and spent packs annually to reduce reliance on traditional mines.)
If you are evaluating these companies for a commercial partnership, let me know:
Are you looking for a partner to handle manufacturing scrap or end-of-life vehicle packs?
What geographic region (North America, Europe, or Asia) do you need coverage in?
Do you require "black mass" processing or a full closed-loop cathode chemical return?
If you mean companies that can handle whole EV battery packs in meaningful commercial volumes, rather than laboratory or pilot-scale recyclers, the shortlist is fairly concentrated. As of 2026, I’d separate the market into proven operating capacity and large planned capacity.
Company
Region
Scale / capability
My take
Redwood Materials
U.S.
20+ GWh/year of lithium-ion batteries; accepts EV packs and production scrap; >60,000 tons of critical materials annually
Strongest U.S. option for actual volume today
Li-Cycle
U.S./Europe
Operating Spokes in Arizona, Alabama and Germany can directly process full EV packs; Rochester Hub designed for 35,000 t/yr of black mass
Significant footprint, but Hub execution/financial situation makes capacity less certain
Umicore
Europe
Hoboken facility processes thousands of tons/year and has been upgraded for automotive batteries
Very established industrial recycler, particularly Europe
Hydrometallurgical battery recycling at industrial scale
Strong option for European OEM supply chains
GEM
China
Very large hydrometallurgical recycling footprint
One of the global scale leaders, particularly in China
Brunp Recycling
China
Large-scale battery recycling integrated with CATL's battery supply chain
Major global-scale player
The standout U.S. companies
Redwood Materials is probably the clearest answer if your question is, "Who can take a large stream of EV packs today?" Redwood says it receives more than 20 GWh of batteries annually, equivalent to roughly 250,000 EVs, and its feedstock includes battery packs as well as manufacturing scrap. It reports recovering more than 95% of critical materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt and copper.
Li-Cycle is technically attractive because its Generation 3 Spokes can process complete EV battery packs without discharging or dismantling them. It has operating facilities in Arizona, Alabama and Germany. Li-Cycle However, I'd be more cautious about treating its planned Rochester Hub capacity as available capacity: the company has had to slow/curtail operations and the Hub has faced construction and financing challenges.
Umicore is one of the more mature industrial options. Its Hoboken, Belgium operation has recycled rechargeable lithium-ion batteries since 2011; the current facility has 7,000-ton capacity and was upgraded to handle automotive batteries.
AE Elemental, the Ascend Elements/Elemental Strategic Metals JV, is particularly interesting for European EV packs. Its Polish facility is rated at 12,000 tonnes/year, with another 25,000-tonne/year German facility planned, for 37,000 tonnes/year across the two. The company estimates that as equivalent to about 86,000 EV battery packs annually.
China
If you're looking at absolute global recycling scale, Chinese companies such as CATL's Brunp Recycling and GEM belong on the list. Their advantage is integration with enormous domestic battery manufacturing and EV ecosystems. A 2026 industry analysis puts Brunp and GEM among the largest hydrometallurgical recyclers globally.
My practical ranking
If I were evaluating these companies as potential recycling vendors for a fleet, automaker, dismantler, insurer, or battery manufacturer, I'd roughly prioritize:
Redwood Materials — best U.S. combination of actual volume, EV-pack collection infrastructure and downstream material recovery.
Umicore — exceptionally mature European industrial operation.
Brunp/CATL — enormous scale, especially if China is in scope.
GEM — another major Chinese-scale recycler.
AE Elemental / Ascend Elements — particularly compelling for European growth and closed-loop materials.
Li-Cycle — very interesting technology and geographic footprint, but I'd distinguish its operating Spokes from its much larger planned Hub capacity.
Fortum — credible European industrial recycler, particularly for hydrometallurgical recovery.
One important distinction: "can recycle EV batteries" doesn't necessarily mean "can accept complete, damaged EV packs." For procurement purposes, I'd check four things separately: whole-pack acceptance, annual throughput, chemistry/form-factor compatibility (NMC/LFP/etc.), and ability to handle damaged/defective batteries. Those criteria can dramatically change the ranking.
Redwood Materials is probably the clearest answer if your question is, "Who can take a large stream of EV packs today?" Redwood says it receives more than 20 GWh of batteries annually, equivalent to roughly 250,000 EVs, and its feedstock includes battery packs as well as manufacturing scrap. It reports recovering more than 95% of critical materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt and copper.
Li-Cycle is technically attractive because its Generation 3 Spokes can process complete EV battery packs without discharging or dismantling them. It has operating facilities in Arizona, Alabama and Germany. Li-Cycle However, I'd be more cautious about treating its planned Rochester Hub capacity as available capacity: the company has had to slow/curtail operations and the Hub has faced construction and financing challenges.
Umicore is one of the more mature industrial options. Its Hoboken, Belgium operation has recycled rechargeable lithium-ion batteries since 2011; the current facility has 7,000-ton capacity and was upgraded to handle automotive batteries.
AE Elemental, the Ascend Elements/Elemental Strategic Metals JV, is particularly interesting for European EV packs. Its Polish facility is rated at 12,000 tonnes/year, with another 25,000-tonne/year German facility planned, for 37,000 tonnes/year across the two. The company estimates that as equivalent to about 86,000 EV battery packs annually.
China
If you're looking at absolute global recycling scale, Chinese companies such as CATL's Brunp Recycling and GEM belong on the list. Their advantage is integration with enormous domestic battery manufacturing and EV ecosystems. A 2026 industry analysis puts Brunp and GEM among the largest hydrometallurgical recyclers globally.
Redwood Materials
