Webasto and Cylib have formalized a partnership aimed at enhancing battery recycling efforts within the automotive sector. The agreement, announced on March 25, 2025, involves the German recycling company Cylib collecting and recycling used batteries and production waste from Webasto’s battery manufacturing facilities across Europe. Webasto, a family-owned business based in Stockdorf near Munich, has been producing battery systems for vehicles since 2019.
The collaboration addresses the increasing volume of used batteries resulting from the automotive industry’s shift towards electrification and the rising demand for critical materials like lithium and graphite. By partnering with Cylib, Webasto seeks to meet its sustainability goals while ensuring a steady supply of essential raw materials.
Cylib employs a comprehensive recycling process that integrates mechanical, thermal, and hydrometallurgical techniques to recover materials such as lithium and graphite efficiently. This method minimizes chemical usage, resulting in a carbon footprint that is up to 30 percent lower than traditional recycling approaches. Additionally, Cylib utilizes an innovative water-based process to sustainably extract valuable raw materials. The partnership builds on a collaborative relationship that began in 2023, including initiatives focused on “Design for Recycling.”
“Our recycling technology recovers all valuable materials from spent lithium-ion batteries, including lithium and graphite. The partnership with Webasto is an important step towards scaling up battery recycling. Together, we are securing the raw materials of tomorrow and driving forward the circular economy in Europe,” says cylib co-founder and COO Dr. Gideon Schwich.
“Collaborations like the one between Webasto and cylib are in the interest of the entire European automotive industry, because they make the local raw material ecosystem more sustainable and resilient – ultimately benefiting everyone, right down to the end consumer,” says Marcel Bartling, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Webasto.
The partnership also aligns with the EU Battery Regulation, which mandates the recovery of at least 70 percent of lithium and 95 percent of cobalt, nickel, and copper from used batteries by 2030. Cylib’s recycling processes currently exceed these requirements, ensuring that Webasto remains compliant with future regulations.
In addition to recycling, Webasto is utilizing used batteries for sustainable energy storage at its Schierling plant in Bavaria. A one megawatt-hour battery storage system, operational since 2024, incorporates 30 used batteries to store solar energy generated on-site.
Webasto is recognized as one of the top 100 global automotive suppliers, with a diverse product range that includes roof systems and vehicle electrification components. Cylib, founded in 2022, specializes in sustainable battery recycling and employs over 90 people in Aachen.
Source: Cylib Partnership News
