EV Growth Accelerates, Recycling Demand Surges

Sep 29, 2025 | Electric Vehicles, Industry News, Li-Ion Battery Recycling

Global electric vehicle (EV) sales continue to gather momentum, with 1.7 million units sold in August 2025 alone – a 5% increase month-on-month and 15% year-on-year, according to the latest data from Rho Motion, part of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. This surge brings total global EV sales to 12.5 million in the first eight months of 2025, a 25% rise compared with the same period last year.

The figures highlight both the scale and the pace of change sweeping through the automotive sector, with direct implications for the battery recycling industry. As more EVs reach end-of-life and as production scales further, the demand for sustainable, industrial-scale recycling solutions will only intensify.

Regional Growth Highlights

China remains the largest EV market, with 7.6 million sales YTD, up 25%.
Europe is accelerating at a remarkable pace, up 31% YTD, with standout performances in Germany (+45%), the UK (+31%), Spain (doubling sales) and Italy (+41%). In the UK, August sales reflected a seasonal shift ahead of new licence plate registrations in September, a trend that typically precedes a sharp rebound.
North America hit a record monthly high as US consumers rushed to secure tax credits before their September expiry, pushing sales up 6% year-to-date.
Rest of World markets posted the fastest growth rate of all, up 44% YTD, showing the increasingly global spread of EV adoption.

Why This Matters for Battery Recycling

Every one of these millions of EVs depends on a high-performance lithium-ion battery. And while demand growth is positive, it underscores a pressing reality: end-of-life batteries must be responsibly recycled to recover critical raw materials, reduce environmental impact and close the loop in the EV supply chain.

Since becoming operational at an industrial scale in July 2023, our Wolverhampton facility has been processing lithium-ion batteries across multiple chemistries and sizes. We are not only handling volumes from the automotive sector but also from insurance, defence, mobility, consumer electronics and beyond. Our partnerships and technology place us at the centre of a sustainable solution to one of the most urgent challenges in the clean energy transition.

Turning Growth Into Circular Value

The expansion of the EV market is good news for decarbonisation, but it also brings a pressing recycling challenge. By capturing black mass (a material rich in cobalt, nickel, lithium and manganese) from spent batteries and returning it to the supply chain, Recyclus secures critical materials for the next generation of EVs while reducing reliance on raw mineral extraction.

As EV adoption accelerates across the UK, Europe, and North America, battery recycling is both an environmental necessity and a strategic advantage. By recovering valuable materials from end-of-life batteries, Recyclus is driving the circular economy and delivering the solutions needed for a sustainable transport future.

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