Volkswagen joins forces with Ecobat to recycle electric vehicle batteries in UK

Volkswagen Group United Kingdom has signed an agreement with Ecobat, the global leader in battery recycling, to collect and recycle electric vehicle batteries. The deal helps Volkswagen UK close the loop to promote a circular energy economy.

Ecobat has a longstanding relationship with Volkswagen UK dating back to 2014 when it started collecting lead acid batteries for TPS, the Volkswagen Group Genuine Parts provider to the independent motor trade. The contract was expanded in 2019, when Ecobat started working with high-voltage batteries, and since the company’s UK Diagnostics and Disassembly Centre in Darlaston in the West Midlands was opened, it has processed and upgraded many thousands of batteries.

Under this latest agreement, Ecobat will collect EV batteries to recycle lithium-ion battery materials. The company will collect high-voltage batteries from dealers, distributors, and end-of-life recycling centres using Ecobat’s ADR compliant vehicles. Batteries will be processed at Ecobat’s new UK lithium-ion recycling centre. This is Ecobat’s third lithium-ion recycling facility, in addition to facilities operating in Germany and Arizona. 

Director of One Aftersales for Volkswagen Group UK, Sylvain Charbonnier, said: “I’m pleased to be extending and expanding our relationship with Ecobat. As we move to decarbonise road transport, the number of electric vehicles in our car parc is rapidly increasing, and we need to ensure sustainability throughout the lifecycle. Working with our trusted partners, we are confident we can reassure our dealers and customers that we are responsibly moving towards our electrification goals.”

Elliott Ethridge, Vice President of Global Sales for Ecobat, commented: “We have been recycling lead batteries for VWG UK for a decade, and we are delighted to be able to extend our relationship to recycle EV lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion is a fast-growing technology, and our recycling operations can handle everything from small-format batteries to EV batteries. We also recover scrap, byproducts, end-of-life, and damaged products to help make lithium-ion battery production more sustainable. Our expertise in recycling and recovering scarce battery materials will benefit both Volkswagen Group and the environment.”

Ecobat recycling fully complies with UK battery regulations, and the company is managing extended producer responsibility (EPR) on behalf of Volkswagen Group UK. The company maintains strict quality assurance for its environmental, health, and safety processes. The company conforms to ISO standards, including ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for environmental management, and ISO 45001 for health and safety.