A technology roadmap for EV battery recycling in India is essential to establish a circular economy, reduce environmental hazards and ensure the sustainable use of critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and phosphorous. It guides the investment in advanced recycling technologies, promoting efficiency and scalability. This technology roadmap can be a guiding document to strategise and plan the country’s infrastructure, promote industry collaboration (EV and battery manufacturers and recyclers), and ensure regulatory compliance to manage the looming EV battery waste. Ultimately, it will strengthen India’s self-reliance in raw materials and aligns with global sustainability commitments.
This technology roadmap forecasts future battery waste generated from the EV sector under various scenarios considered. By estimating these end-of-life batteries, the study calculates the waste generated in each segment until 2030 and determines the percentage of critical minerals (e.g., lithium, cobalt, nickel, and phosphorus) that can be recovered from the waste. Technology assessments can help evaluate recycling technologies based on their technical efficacy, economic feasibility and environmental impact. By considering the specific characteristics of various battery technologies, the report pinpoints the most efficient recycling technologies for different chemistries in the Indian ecosystem to facilitate informed decision-making by policymakers and industry stakeholders.
Additionally, it underscores the environmental benefits of transitioning to recycled materials for battery manufacturing, highlighting how this shift can significantly reduce the carbon footprint across the EV battery lifecycle while decreasing India’s dependence on imports for critical raw materials.
Recognising the increasing volume of battery waste generated by the automotive sector, the report also maps optimal locations for establishing new recycling facilities to effectively manage the impending surge in waste.
