With global EV sales accelerating past 15 million units in 2024, the surge in lithium-ion battery waste is creating both an environmental challenge and an economic opportunity. By 2030, battery waste is projected to hit 1.3 million tons/year globally, with the U.S. and Europe accounting for nearly 48% of this volume. This has spurred aggressive investment in battery recycling infrastructure, with Li-Cycle (U.S.), Redwood Materials (U.S.), and ACCUREC (Germany) scaling capacity by over 5x since 2021.

‍

Newer hydrometallurgical and direct recycling methods now offer 90–95% recovery rates for lithium, cobalt, and nickel, up from 60–70% a decade ago. Capital expenditure per unit recovered has declined by 15–18% year-over-year, bringing average project breakeven down to 7–8 years. In the EU, the updated Battery Regulation mandates a minimum of 50% recycled content in new batteries by 2030, while the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act offers up to $45/kWh in tax credits for recycled battery materials used in domestic manufacturing.

‍

Policy support is catalyzing industrial-scale recycling hubs, particularly near EV gigafactories. In parallel, OEMs are integrating “design for disassembly” features to reduce end-of-life processing costs. The recycling value chain from collection to processing to reintegration is now seen as a critical pillar in battery supply chain security, with over $12 billion committed globally in 2023–24.

‍

   5 Key Quantitative Insights
‍‍

1. 1.3M tons/year global EV battery waste expected by 2030
   
   
2. 90–95% metal recovery rates now achieved in modern recycling methods
   
   
3. CapEx/unit falling 15–18% YoY, reducing breakeven to 7–8 years
   
   
4. EU requires 50% recycled content in batteries by 2030
   
   
5. $45/kWh U.S. tax credits available for recycled material inclusion

Download the full report to explore ROI benchmarks, policy impacts, and recovery tech trends shaping the battery recycling ecosystem.

‍

• EV battery recycling economics
  
  
• Lithium recovery rates
  
  
• Battery recycling cost curves
  
  
• EU battery regulation 2030
  
  
• Battery waste volumes forecast
  
  
• Tax credit for recycled batteries
  
  
• Direct vs hydro battery recycling
  
  
• Battery supply chain sustainability
  
  
• Recycling breakeven analysis
  
  
• Design for disassembly EV
  
  
• U.S. battery recycling incentives
  
  

‍

• Request a Customized Transcript: Submit your own questions or specify changes. We’ll conduct a new call with the industry expert, covering both the original and your additional questions. You’ll receive an updated report for a small fee over the standard price.
• Request a Direct Call with the Expert: If you prefer a live conversation, we can facilitate a call between you and the expert. After the call, you’ll get the full recording, a verbatim transcript, and continued platform access to query the content and more.

‍