Japanese scientists have developed a groundbreaking method to recover up to 90% of lithium from used EV batteries, a massive improvement over traditional techniques that recover less than 50%. The innovation comes from a recycling facility in Japan and was reported by NHK World.

The process replaces standard sodium hydroxide with recovered lithium hydroxide to convert battery waste known as black mass into high-purity lithium reusable in new batteries. Researchers say this cuts carbon emissions by around 40% compared to conventional recycling.

This matters because lithium demand is skyrocketing and Japan imports nearly all its battery minerals. Domestic recycling at this scale could stabilize supply chains and reduce import reliance. However, only 14% of used lithium-ion batteries in Japan currently enter official recycling systems.

Plans aim to scale production by 2027 and extract tens of thousands of tons annually by 2035. If adopted globally, this breakthrough could transform EV battery sustainability worldwide.