Porsche Builds Battery Cells from Fully Recycled Cathode

Porsche has produced battery cells with cathode active material made completely from recycled lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese. The German carmaker described this as a first.

The scheme involves recovering raw materials from spent batteries, processing them into fresh materials, and using them in new cells for Porsche test vehicles. Porsche stated this latest stage is the first time recycled active materials have fully replaced conventionally sourced primary raw materials. Cells from the initiative are now undergoing operational testing.

A Technological Milestone

Joachim Scharnagl, Porsche procurement executive board member, commented on the achievement. "With battery cells made entirely from recycled raw materials such as lithium and cobalt, we have achieved an important technological milestone," he said. Scharnagl added that the innovation advances circular economy principles and raw material resilience.

The carmaker's focus is now on confirming the recycled materials meet its stringent requirements for value, quality, and performance in battery applications. Initial tests indicated the technical feasibility of the approach, with further results expected later this year. Outcomes from the pilot will inform any future use of these materials in series-production battery cells.

Integration into Standard Procedures

Lessons from the project are already being incorporated into Porsche's standard battery disposal procedures. Since May 2026, end-of-life high-voltage batteries collected from Porsche Centres across Germany have been processed by partner cylib using a water-based recycling method.

Recovered raw materials are tracked via a dedicated material account. Porsche stated these materials will be made available to the company and selected partners for battery cell manufacturing from 2028 onwards. The initiative aims to reduce reliance on global raw material sources. Battery materials recycled within Europe could eventually be used in high-voltage batteries for Porsche vehicles.

The Recycling Partner

The pilot program involves German recycling firm cylib, founded in Aachen in 2022 by Lilian Schwich, Paul Sabarny, and Gideon Schwich. The company's operations span research and development in Aachen, hydrometallurgical processing in Dormagen, and dismantling with mechanical processing in Wernberg-Köblitz.

Cylib co-CEO Lilian Schwich said the project demonstrates the practical feasibility of their approach. "Valuable raw materials from Porsche batteries at the end of their first life can potentially flow back into new high-performance batteries for Porsche vehicles," Schwich stated.