China reports 99.6% recovery of key materials from retired EV batteries

By Phong Ngo October 21, 2025 | 05:37 pm PT

China has introduced national standards for the recycling and reuse of electric vehicle power batteries, with pilot programs reporting over 99% recovery of critical materials like nickel, cobalt, and manganese.

A total of 22 standards have been established, covering general requirements, management procedures, and dismantling methods for retired EV batteries. These standards aim to facilitate the recovery of valuable materials, as reported by local tech news site IT-Home. Some companies have achieved a recovery rate of 99.6% for nickel-cobalt-manganese and 96.5% for lithium.

A notable example is the Battery Science & Technology production workshop in Tianjin, a northern Chinese city, where old EV batteries are given a second life. Through detailed dismantling, crushing, and purification processes, over 95% of lithium elements are successfully recovered and refined into new battery materials, Interesting Engineering reported.

Chinese EV Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. Photo from Instagram

To standardize the industry further, China is establishing a national technical committee for battery recycling. This committee brings together stakeholders from raw material suppliers, battery producers, recycling and dismantling companies, chemical processors, and material reuse specialists.

Additionally, Chinese experts are actively contributing to international standards for second-life batteries. China’s "General guidelines for deep discharge in battery recycling and utilization" has been approved as an official IEC international standard project, with nearly 40 Chinese specialists involved in international technical committees on batteries, according to Car News China.

The country is also implementing mandatory safety standards for lithium batteries, banning the use of retired batteries in e-bikes to promote safe, efficient, and sustainable recycling practices.