Altilium received an £18.5 million grant from the UK government's DRIVE35 Scale‑Up Fund to construct the ACT3 facility in Plymouth, set to recycle 24,000 EV batteries annually.
Altilium received an £18.5 million grant from the UK government’s DRIVE35 Scale‑Up Fund on 10 April 2026. The funding will finance the ACT3 facility in Plymouth, Devon, slated to process 24,000 end‑of‑life electric‑vehicle batteries each year.
Altilium, a UK‑based clean‑technology company, announced on 10 April 2026 that it had been awarded £18.5 million in grant funding from the Department for Business and Trade’s DRIVE35 Scale‑Up Fund [1][3]. The grant will be used to construct and operate ACT3, the nation’s first commercial plant dedicated to recovering critical minerals from spent EV batteries, with an annual processing capacity of 24,000 batteries [1][3].
The funding agreement was signed in London, and the ACT3 plant will be located on a former industrial site in Plymouth, Devon [1][3]. Altilium will lead the project, employing its proprietary electro‑chemical separation technology to extract lithium, cobalt, nickel, and other valuable materials from battery waste [1][3].
Funding Allocation and Facility Design
The £18.5 million grant covers capital expenditures for site preparation, equipment procurement, and initial operating costs [1][3]. Altilium’s engineering team will oversee the installation of modular processing lines that combine mechanical disassembly with its patented mineral‑recovery chemistry [1]. The design aims to achieve a closed‑loop supply chain, returning recovered materials to UK battery manufacturers and reducing reliance on imported raw ores [1][3].
Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026, with commissioning targeted for early 2028 [1][3]. The project timeline includes a six‑month pilot phase to validate process efficiency before full‑scale operation commences [1]. Altilium has committed to meeting UK health, safety, and environmental standards throughout the build‑out and operational phases [3].
The funding agreement was signed in London, and the ACT3 plant will be located on a former industrial site in Plymouth, Devon [1][3].
Position Within the UK Battery Innovation Landscape
Altilium Secures £18.5 Million Grant to Build UK's First Commercial EV Battery‑Mineral Recovery Plant
Altilium’s grant follows a broader governmental push to expand domestic battery capacity and recycling infrastructure [2]. The UK’s DRIVE35 initiative, launched in 2025, allocates £1 billion to scale‑up clean‑technology firms that address climate‑related supply‑chain challenges [1]. Other recipients include Nexeon, which focuses on low‑energy‑loss lithium‑ion anodes, and Nyobolt, known for high‑power solid‑state cells [2].
Both Nexeon and Nyobolt have secured private and public financing to advance their respective technologies, contributing to a diversified national battery ecosystem [2]. Altilium’s focus on end‑of‑life battery processing complements these upstream innovations by closing the material loop and supporting circular‑economy objectives [2].
Immediate Impact on Students, Educators, and Industry Stakeholders
The ACT3 facility will create an estimated 150 direct jobs during construction and 80 permanent positions upon operation [3]. Local vocational colleges in Devon have been invited to develop curricula aligned with the plant’s technical requirements, providing students with hands‑on training in battery recycling and mineral recovery [3].
Higher‑education institutions offering materials‑science and chemical‑engineering programs may incorporate Altilium’s technology case studies into coursework, enhancing research opportunities in sustainable energy [2]. For industry partners, the plant promises a domestic source of high‑purity critical minerals, potentially lowering material costs for UK battery manufacturers and accelerating product development cycles [1][3].
Key Facts
What: Altilium receives £18.5 million grant to build the ACT3 EV‑battery mineral recovery plant.
Higher‑education institutions offering materials‑science and chemical‑engineering programs may incorporate Altilium’s technology case studies into coursework, enhancing research opportunities in sustainable energy [2].
When: Grant announced 10 April 2026; construction to start Q3 2026, commissioning early 2028.
Impact: Provides jobs, training opportunities, and a domestic supply of recovered critical minerals for the UK EV sector.
Altilium secures £18.5 million to scale EV battery recycling and build UK’s first commercial facility for recovery of critical minerals – Altilium
Top 13 Startups, developing energy‑efficient batteries in UK – Energy Startups
UK startup Altilium bags £18.5m to build Britain’s first commercial refinery for recovering critical minerals from end‑of‑life electric vehicle batteries – The Next Web
REVISIONS:
Removed reference to [4] as it is not relevant to the article.
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