BatRaw develops advanced pilot technologies to optimize EV battery dismantling, material recovery and lifecycle traceability.
The BATRAW project was launched in response to the growth of environmental and strategic challenges posed by terminally-term electric vehicle (EV) batteries. As electric mobility continues to rapidly expand across Europe, it is becoming essential to develop sustainable solutions for the reuse, recycling and recovery of the critical raw materials (CRMs) found in these batteries. Batraw will address this need in perfect alignment with upcoming European battery regulations, aimed at ensuring sustainability, safety and traceability throughout the battery lifecycle by promoting a circular economy approach in the battery sector.
What is the BATRAW Project?
The project brings together 17 partners from across Europe, including research centres, small and medium-sized enterprises, industrial stakeholders, recycling, sustainability and policy experts. Coordinated by the Leitat Technological Center (Spain), BatRaw is funded by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe programme and aims to develop cutting-edge technologies for semi-automated demolition, mechanical pretreatment, water age recycling, and semi-automated demolition for the creation of second-life battery prototypes, underwater lattice recycling, and digital passpen creation beyond battery pastations.
One of the central objectives of the project is the implementation of two innovative pilot plants focusing on sustainable recycling and end-of-life management of EV batteries, domestic batteries and battery production scrap. These pilots contribute to the generation of secondary sources of strategically important CRMS and battery raw materials (RMS) and examine the circularity, economic potential, and technical feasibility of solutions developed under BATRAW. The two plants are located in Spain and France and serve as testbeds to expand the project’s key technologies.
Pilot Plant
The first pilot factory at Bee Planet’s facility in Pamplona, Spain, focuses on semi-automated demolition of EV batteries. It integrates AI-based battery recognition, cobots for safe operation, and robots equipped with force sensors, enabling force control technology. Beeplanet, Comanai and Leitat have been working together to develop and deploy this robotic system. Performs a variety of disassembly operations, including battery and screw recognition, abduction, cable cutting, adhesive and metal cutting, lid and module extraction. The goal is to improve this system to operate at the module level, allowing access to battery cells and improving material recovery. The factory is expected to be fully functional by November 2025.
Additionally, Beeplanet has developed a battery health characterization tool to quickly and accurately diagnose battery modules, supporting reuse in second-life applications. When an EV battery pack is deemed suitable for reuse, it is dismantled and the module is analyzed to determine internal conditions. This tool has already been successfully applied to Stellantis battery modules, achieving a root mean error (RMSE) of 0.604% in just 15 minutes. Additionally, we designed a prototype battery cabinet using 34 reuse modules from the EV pack, demonstrating a promising solution for fixed energy storage using a second life battery in good condition.
The second pilot plant is hosted at Orano’s site in Besinzur Gartempe, France, and is dedicated to the locking retrieval of CRMSs, including cobalt (CO), nickel (NI), manganese (MN), lithium (LI), graphite, aluminum (AL), and copper (CU). During the first three years of the project, Orano, CEA, MTB, and Leitat have collaborated on developing technology for mechanical pretreatment (battery deactivation, size reduction, graphite separation) to optimize downstream recovery, and innovating the leaching and metal recovery stages of aqueous urine processes. Several innovations have already been implemented and operated, as demonstrated when visiting Orano’s site during the Batrow General Assembly visit in July 2025.
Battery Passport
Another important pillar of the BATRAW project is the development of a blockchain platform for raw materials, products and supply chain tracking, consistent with the European Commission’s efforts on transparency and future battery passport regulations. Minespider creates a digital battery passport with multiple data sharing layers (public, private, transparent), incorporates all relevant regulatory data and templates, and all relevant regulatory data and templates that can be adapted to future legal requirements. Future improvements consist of developing and testing AI-based tools to support the creation and understanding of battery passports.
Guidelines
Two public guideline documents have also been developed in line with safety and circulation purposes. One is best practices for the safe handling and transport of end-of-life battery waste, and the other is about eco-design strategies for battery packs. The latter focuses on improving demolition efficiency and facilitating module access for repairs or second life use. Both documents are available from the project’s official website.
A promising future for important raw materials
The Batraw Consortium is confident that all objectives will be achieved successfully by the end of the project. The promising results obtained so far in the development of both pilot lines are expected to meet or exceed the target recovery rate of critical raw materials (CRMs), particularly based on the high selectivity and purity levels in the hydrometal jarlic recovery process, and the effectiveness of semi-automated dismantling techniques. These advances examine the technical and economic viability of solutions developed within BatRaw, strengthen the foundation for industrial scale deployment, and contribute to Europe’s strategic autonomy in raw materials.
The project received funding from grant agreement number 101058359 from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Program
Horizon Europe Project Batraw’s Isle Utilities Ltd Participants are supported by UKRL
This article will also be featured in the 23rd edition of Quarterly Publication.
Source link
