Japan achieves 90% lithium recovery from used EV batteries
Original: Japan develops a method to recover up to 90% of lithium from used EV batteries
Why This Matters
Scaling high-efficiency lithium recovery could reduce EV supply chain dependency and reshape global battery material economics.
Japanese engineers at a recycling facility have developed a method to recover up to 90% of lithium from used EV batteries — nearly double the rate of conventional techniques — while cutting carbon emissions by approximately 40%, with plans to scale production by 2027.
Scientists in Japan have developed a breakthrough recycling process capable of extracting up to 90% of lithium from used electric vehicle batteries, compared to the less than 50% typically recovered by traditional methods. The key innovation involves substituting standard sodium hydroxide with recovered lithium hydroxide — a white powder — during the processing of 'black mass,' the residual material from spent batteries. This chemical swap enables the production of high-purity lithium suitable for use in new battery cells. Researchers also report that the process reduces carbon emissions by around 40% versus conventional recycling techniques. The development carries particular strategic importance for Japan, which currently imports nearly all of its battery minerals. Expanding domestic lithium recovery could reduce reliance on foreign supply chains and stabilize access to a critical EV material amid surging global demand. However, challenges remain: only around 14% of used lithium-ion batteries in Japan currently enter official recycling systems, indicating that collection infrastructure requires significant improvement. Engineers plan to scale production further by 2027, with targets to extract tens of thousands of tons of battery materials annually by 2035.