Iondrive Joins €3.1M Battery Recycling Consortium to Help Build Europe's Circular Supply Chain

Iondrive (ASX: ION) has taken a major step toward establishing itself in the European battery materials market, announcing its role in a €3.1 million battery recycling consortium led by RWTH Aachen University in Germany.

The project is supported by a €2.07 million grant from the Government of North Rhine-Westphalia, with consortium members contributing a further €1.07 million. Iondrive’s share includes a committed spend of €265,000, with up to €398,000 in pilot plant costs reimbursed under the grant.

The consortium is focused on proving that battery cells produced using at least 80 percent recycled materials can perform comparably to those using virgin metals. The goal is to demonstrate a closed-loop battery supply chain in Germany, one of the most critical regions for electric vehicle production and battery innovation.

Iondrive will play a key role by processing battery black mass into high-purity battery-grade metals using its proprietary Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) method. The process avoids the harsh chemicals and high energy demands of traditional techniques, offering a more sustainable path to recover metals like lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese.

These recovered materials will be further upgraded to pre-cathode active material (pCAM), which will then be tested in new battery cells by RWTH Aachen and ultimately validated by major European automotive manufacturers.

“This consortium provides Iondrive with the opportunity to demonstrate, to leading European OEMs, that battery cells produced from recycled metals using our DES process can perform on par with virgin materials,” said CEO Dr Ebbe Dommisse.

“Just as importantly, the consortium brings together the full value chain — from research and processing to end-users — which is essential for establishing a sovereign and sustainable battery materials industry in Europe.”

The consortium includes established European players such as Accurec Recycling, Neuman & Esser Process Technology, Constantia Patz, and PEM RWTH Aachen University. Accurec will supply black mass feedstock, which will be processed by Iondrive’s pilot plant. Constantia will assist with materials recovery and recycling design, while Neuman & Esser provides technical engineering support.

Iondrive is currently building its DES pilot plant at the University of Adelaide, funded in part by a $3.9 million grant from the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program. The facility is designed for relocation, with commissioning expected in early 2026 ahead of deployment to Germany for integration into the consortium’s operations.

Participation in the consortium gives Iondrive access to valuable feedstock and technical services, and it strengthens the company’s strategic relationships with European battery and automotive stakeholders. The company expects this initiative will support future commercial offtake and product validation arrangements.