Ather Energy Partners LICO Materials to Recycle End-of-Life EV Batteries in India

Integrated battery circularity company LICO Materials has joined hands with electric two-wheeler manufacturer Ather Energy to develop a system for collecting, recycling and recovering critical materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries. As part of the agreement, batteries retired from Ather's electric vehicle (EV) fleet will be processed at LICO Materials' recycling facility in Karnataka. The recovered materials, including lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and copper, will be returned to the battery supply chain for use by cell manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

The partnership comes at a time when India's electric vehicle market continues to expand, increasing the need for battery recycling infrastructure capable of recovering valuable raw materials while reducing dependence on imported minerals.

"India is building one of the world's largest EV fleets without domestic reserves of the minerals that power it. That is a structural vulnerability, and battery circularity is the only answer," Gaurav Dolwani, Chief Executive Officer, LICO Materials, said in a statement.

Ather Energy said the collaboration is intended to create a structured process for battery collection, recycling and material recovery as the number of electric two-wheelers on Indian roads continues to rise.

India currently imports most of the critical minerals used in lithium-ion batteries, including lithium, nickel and cobalt, making the sector vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, geopolitical uncertainties and price volatility.