Li Cycle Inc. (“Li Cycle”), a leading North American provider of comprehensive battery recycling solutions, and Ultium Cells LLC (“Ultium Cells”), a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, today announced a collaboration to develop a battery recycling facility at Ultium Cells’ new battery factory in Lordstown, Ohio. As Ultium Cells’ battery recycling partner, Li Cycle will provide its proprietary technology and engineering expertise to support the factory’s sustainability goals and help drive down the cost of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. 

Ultium Cells’ new factory is the first of its kind in the United States and is a key element of GM’s commitment to an all-electric future. The state-of-the-art facility will mass-produce Ultium battery cells, which will power GM’s upcoming fleet of electric vehicles. The factory is also designed with sustainability in mind, and recycling is a key part of that effort. 

“We are excited to collaborate with Ultium Cells on this important initiative,” said Ajay Kochhar, CEO and co-founder of Li Cycle. “Our partnership with Ultium Cells underscores our commitment to working with the world’s leading EV manufacturers to enable a circular economy for EV batteries. We believe that our technology can play a significant role in making Ultium Cells’ factory one of the most sustainable and cost-effective battery production facilities in the world.”

Ultium Cells’ factory will use LG Energy Solution’s industry-leading battery cell technology, which features a unique chemistry that is designed for recyclability. This chemistry, combined with Li Cycle’s state-of-the-art recycling technology, will enable the factory to recycle a large portion of its battery cells on-site. This will not only help Ultium Cells achieve its sustainability goals but also significantly reduce the cost of producing battery cells by eliminating the need to source raw materials from mines. 

“As we work to increase the adoption of electric vehicles, it’s important that we do so in a way that is sustainable and cost-effective,” said DougYoung Park, CEO of Ultium Cells. “Our collaboration with Li Cycle will help us accomplish both of these objectives. We believe that recycling will play a critical role in making EVs more affordable for consumers, and Li Cycle’s technology will help us achieve that goal.”

The recycling facility at Ultium Cells’ factory is expected to be operational by 2023. 

About Li Cycle

Li Cycle is a leading North American provider of comprehensive battery recycling solutions. The company’s proprietary technology can recycle lithium-ion batteries of all types and sizes, including those used in electric vehicles, laptops, and smartphones. Li Cycle’s battery recycling process is designed to recover all of the valuable materials in spent batteries, including lithium, cobalt, and nickel. This enables Li Cycle to generate revenue from the sale of these materials while also reducing the environmental impact of battery production. 

About Ultium Cells

Ultium Cells LLC is a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution. The company was formed to mass-produce Ultium battery cells, which will power GM’s upcoming fleet of electric vehicles. Ultium Cells’ factory is the first of its kind in the United States and is designed with sustainability in mind. The factory will use LG Energy Solution’s industry-leading battery cell technology, which features a unique chemistry that is designed for recyclability. This will enable the factory to recycle a large portion of its battery cells on-site, which will significantly reduce the cost of producing battery cells.