Porsche Builds New EV Batteries from Old OnesAutoweekNatalie NeffFri, September 18, 2026 at 4:57 PM UTCAdd us on GooglePorsche Builds New EV Batteries from Old OnesPorscheWhat's old is new again, and in the case of limited exotic resources like the kind used in EV batteries, that's a good thing.Porsche says it has taken a big step toward closing the loop on its electric vehicle battery production, successfully building new battery cells by incorporating the cathode material salvaged from recycled batteries.The automaker said it has produced these prototype battery cells using the recycled lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese recovered from end-of-life Porsche high-voltage batteries. The cells are now undergoing testing to determine whether they meet the performance, durability, and quality standards required for future production vehicles.AdvertisementAdvertisementPorsche launched this recycling project last year, working with German recycling specialty company cylib. Instead of relying on freshly mined raw materials, the program looks to recover the exotic metals from worn-out battery packs, process them into new cathode material, and reuse them in future batteries.How Porsche sees the closed-loop process working.Porsche"We have achieved an important technological milestone," Joachim Scharnagl, Porsche's executive board member for procurement, said in a statement. "This innovation is a key step in advancing both circular economy principles and raw material resilience."Battery recycling has become an increasingly important focus across the auto industry as manufacturers seek to reduce dependence on mining while securing long-term supplies of critical minerals. Demand for lithium, nickel, and cobalt is expected to rise sharply as vehicular electrification continues to expand—including growth among hybrid electrics and not just EVs—and recycled materials are increasingly viewed as a way to supplement future supply.Porsche says its approach relies on a water-based recycling process developed by cylib. End-of-life battery packs collected from Porsche Centers across Germany are first discharged and dismantled before being mechanically shredded into "black mass," a powder containing the target battery materials. Those materials are then separated and refined into battery-grade raw materials suitable for manufacturing new cathodes.AdvertisementAdvertisementSince May, Porsche has been sending batteries from German dealerships into the recycling program. The recovered materials are tracked through what the company calls a dedicated material account, with the first recycled supplies expected to become available for broader battery cell production beginning in 2028.End-of-life battery packs collected from Porsche Centers across Germany are first discharged and dismantled before being mechanically shredded into "black mass."PorscheThe project also marks a sort of shift in how automakers are approaching battery recycling. More and more, manufacturers are looking to create closed-loop systems that return recovered materials directly into their own supply chains rather than seeing them processed by third-party players.Porsche says the next step is confirming that recycled cathode materials perform as well as those made from newly sourced minerals. Initial testing indicates the concept is technically feasible, with more comprehensive results expected later this year.If successful, the technology could eventually find its way into production Porsche EVs, reducing both the environmental footprint of battery manufacturing and the company's exposure to volatile global raw-material markets.
