The HVBatCycle project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, aimed to advance sustainable, energy‑efficient recycling and battery‑material production from secondary raw materials. Over a planned three‑year period, the consortium—comprising Volkswagen AG, OHLF, IWF, TU Braunschweig, RWTH Aachen, and VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH—focused on developing automated dismantling, safe discharge strategies, and reference cell production to support life‑cycle assessments. In the first six months, Volkswagen AG’s pilot line in Salzgitter supplied lithium‑ion cells and a mechanical recycling plant that produced black mass and electrolyte condensate for further processing.
Technical progress in Work Package 1 (AP1) included the creation of a concept for analysis and unloading, evaluation of discharge methods, and integration of material data. The sub‑tasks UAP 1.1, UAP 1.3, and UAP 1.5 delivered intelligent entry controls for battery systems, a recycling‑friendly discharge strategy, and a design for dismantling steps, respectively. These developments established a foundation for subsequent dismantling operations and enabled the safe removal of volatile organics through pyrolysis of mechanically shredded black mass. Three black‑mass samples—two 25 kg and one 20 kg—were shipped to the IME laboratory at RWTH Aachen for pyrolysis, with the entire process supervised by the site’s waste manager to ensure compliance with hazardous‑waste regulations.
Work Package 2 (AP2) concentrated on preparing the process technology for integration into the target material streams of black mass and electrolyte. Sub‑tasks UAP 2.7 and UAP 2.8 achieved the recovery and provision of electrolyte components from vacuum drying and supplied active materials in the required quantity and configuration for subsequent work packages. These steps were essential for the mechanical‑thermal preparation of secondary raw materials and for feeding the hydrometallurgical processes that follow.
In Work Package 7 (AP7), Volkswagen AG defined the cell chemistry and released all cell components, signing an additional agreement with InEs/Elenia. The consortium produced 20 of the planned 50 single‑layer pouch cells, while none of the 50 multi‑layer pouch cells were fabricated within the first six months due to the partial withdrawal of Volkswagen AG. Sub‑tasks UAP 7.1 and UAP 7.2 established suitable process parameters for electrode manufacturing and created a reference cell system for comparison with primary material. These reference cells are critical for later measurements of cells derived from secondary materials and for evaluating the recycling process’s performance.
Although the project’s initial phase did not reach all planned milestones—particularly the full production of multi‑layer pouch cells—the work completed provides a robust platform for continued development. The automated dismantling concept, safe discharge strategy, and reference cell production collectively enable the assessment of recycling‑derived battery performance and support the scaling of mechanical‑hydrometallurgical recycling. The collaboration among automotive, research, and technical partners, coupled with the structured work‑package approach, ensures that the HVBatCycle project remains aligned with its overarching goal of creating sustainable, high‑TRL battery recycling processes.