Porsche says it has reached a new milestone in its high-voltage battery recycling work by producing, for the first time, battery cells that use cathode active material made entirely from recycled raw materials. The pilot project was completed in collaboration with partners including the German recycling company cylib, and the company said the battery cells were produced using raw materials recovered exclusively from its own high-voltage batteries.
The recycled cathode active materials include lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese. According to Porsche, the battery cells made in the pilot project are now undergoing extensive operational testing. The company said the effort supports its goal of building a more closed-loop circular economy for high-voltage batteries while also strengthening long-term access to critical raw materials.
Joachim Scharnagl, member of Porsche’s Executive Board for Procurement, described the development as an important technological milestone. He said that battery cells made entirely from recycled raw materials represent a key step toward advancing circular economy principles and raw material resilience, while also improving progress, quality, and resource efficiency.
The project builds on a battery recycling pilot program launched last year. In earlier phases, Porsche and its partners recovered valuable materials from end-of-life high-voltage batteries and processed them into new materials for use in battery cells for Porsche test vehicles. With this latest step, recycled active materials are now replacing conventionally used primary raw materials for the first time. Porsche said initial tests have already indicated that the approach is technically feasible, with additional results expected in the second half of 2026.
The company also said the findings are being integrated into its regular battery disposal process. Under the partnership with cylib, end-of-life high-voltage batteries collected from Porsche Centers across Germany are being recycled through a water-based process. The recovered raw materials are tracked in a dedicated material account and are expected to be available to Porsche and selected partner companies for battery cell production beginning in 2028.
Porsche said the work is intended to reduce dependence on global raw material sources and could support the future use of battery materials recycled in Europe in high-voltage batteries for its vehicles.
Source: cylib
