{
  "id": 14097285,
  "title": "Singapore startup opens plant to recover lithium from EV batteries, raises US$7.6 million",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/singapore-startup-opens-plant-to-recover-lithium-from-ev-batteries",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-13T02:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CNA - Singapore",
    "slug": "cna-singapore",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ev-battery-lithium-recycling-singapore-6452506"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Singapore-based startup NEU Battery Materials has opened its first plant in Tuas to recover lithium from certain electric vehicle (EV) batteries, marking a step towards making lithium recovery commercially viable. The 12,000 sq ft facility can process up to 1,300 tonnes of battery materials annually, though it will not initially operate at full capacity.\n\nThe company recently secured US$7.6 million in funding, which will be used for operating the plant, advancing the technology, and expanding overseas - primarily to Europe and the United States. NEU's focus is on lithium iron phosphate batteries, which make up over 55% of the global EV battery market in 2025. Unlike other batteries, these do not contain valuable metals, making recycling less lucrative.\n\nNEU has developed a unique electrochemical redox process utilizing electricity and water, which reuses its proprietary chemical instead of conventional methods that consume chemicals. This process reduces costs and could make lithium recovery economically viable at scale. The company primarily uses production scrap from battery manufacturing as feedstock, which is about 85% of their current material.\n\nThe recovered lithium could be sold back to battery manufacturers to create new batteries, closing the circular economy loop. Additionally, the lithium carbonate could be sold to buyers in China, where these batteries dominate the market. NEU plans to scale up the Singapore facility if more end-of-life batteries become available locally, with existing equipment capable of accommodating about double the current processing capacity.",
  "summary": "NEU Battery Materials says its Tuas plant can process 1,300 tonnes of battery materials a year but will not run at full capacity for now.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": "Targeting the dominant lithium iron phosphate market with a low-cost electrochemical process turns previously unprofitable battery scrap into a viable source for the global circular economy.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Singapore startup opens plant to recover lithium from EV batteries, raises US$7.6 million",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/singapore-startup-opens-plant-to-recover-lithium-from-ev-batteries-14099499",
        "published": "2026-10-13T02:30:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}