#Germany #Munich #CATL #Ellen MacArthur #Circularity

CATL's Role in Advancing Battery Circularity

At the IAA 2025 event held in Munich, CATL demonstrated its commitment to sustainability by supporting the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) in organizing a forum that brought together industry executives from BASF, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz among others. This initiative aimed to discuss actionable strategies for achieving circularity in the battery value chain, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in politics and finances to scale the circular economy.

The forum highlighted circularity as a critical theme for the automotive industry. This awareness reflects an increasing recognition that sustainable mobility hinges on effectively closing the battery lifecycle through design, manufacturing, reuse, and recycling processes. CATL shared insights from its Global Energy Circularity Commitment (GECC), unveiling practical lessons learned from its operational practices and global partnerships.

Integrating Circularity from Design to Manufacturing

The first panel focused on the integration of circularity from the early stages of battery development. Panelists underscored the significance of digital traceability, material transparency, and collaborative industry practices as essential components of a truly circular battery ecosystem. Jiang Li, CATL's Vice President and Board Secretary, emphasized the dual challenge and opportunity faced by the industry: "For circularity to be a reality at scale, we need to establish clear standards and aligned political and financial frameworks. By joining forces with more partners, we are working to build an ecosystem that makes batteries resilient, safe, and sustainable for decades to come."

Industry leaders shared their perspectives as well. Daniel Schönfelder from BASF discussed the importance of sustainable cathode materials and industrial collaboration, while Jens Rubi from Mercedes-Benz highlighted the integration of circularity in OEM strategies. Oliver Ganser from BMW examined Catena-X, a digital platform for automotive data sharing, as a means to ensure supply chain transparency and traceability.

This discussion emphasized that establishing a circular battery ecosystem requires coordinated action among manufacturers, suppliers, and technology partners. Collaboration at each stage of the value chain is vital for scalability and practicality of circularity initiatives.

Scaling Circular Batteries through Smart Policies and Finance

The second panel engaged in a dialogue on scaling circularity across the global battery ecosystem. This included discussions on policy frameworks, funding mechanisms, and standardized approaches. Panelists examined how regulatory alignment, investor trust, and tools like the Battery Passport could create transparent and comparable metrics across different jurisdictions, consequently facilitating large-scale implementation of circular practices. Emma Nerenheim from the European Battery Alliance pointed out the urgency of coordinated action, stating, "We talk a lot about collaboration now, but the key word is consolidation. We must decide to act. It is incredibly challenging to work out how recyclers will solve these issues; therefore, we need to consolidate now."

Inga Petersen from the Global Battery Alliance stressed the necessity for a globally harmonized approach to circularity. She noted a real risk of fragmentation, where high compliance costs and quality products in certain markets could hinder emerging markets from meeting sustainability and recycling requirements. "We need to create common minimum standards for batteries to ensure compliance with sustainability metrics and access to capital," she advised.

Other panelists like Zoe Zhang from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence discussed risks in supply chains and the need for data transparency for investors, while Amy Marshall from Xynteo examined cross-sector partnerships and system transformations to promote circularity.

This forum marked the inaugural formal gathering of partners under the Critical Minerals Program of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, launched in June. During this event, CATL set forth its ambitious target, aiming for 50% of new battery production to be disconnected from virgin raw materials within the next 20 years. Looking ahead, CATL intends to continue collaborating with EMF and industry partners on pilot projects and comprehensive solutions for the battery value chain, driving a sustainable, equitable, and circular battery ecosystem into the future.