CATL and Ellen MacArthur Foundation Launch Circular Battery Coalition

The Global Energy Circularity Commitment (GECC) seeks to address a looming resource crunch. With the International Energy Agency forecasting a fivefold increase in demand for battery-critical minerals by 2040, the coalition is focusing on creating common design standards to keep materials in use longer. The initiative splits into two tracks: a set of circular design guidelines for mobility applications and a business coalition intended to harmonize policy and investment frameworks.

CATL, which achieved carbon neutrality across its core operations in 2025, is leveraging its experience with China’s Choco-Swap network to push these models into international markets. The push for circularity includes a new joint venture with Octopus Energy, aimed at deploying battery-swapping infrastructure across Europe. By 2035, the partners intend to service 300,000 electric trucks through 30 dedicated hubs, with the first UK sites expected to open in 2027.

Beyond design, the coalition is working to standardize how circular assets are valued. This includes creating shared methodologies for assessing service history and degradation data, which historically hindered secondary market investment. CATL’s subsidiary, Brunp Recycling, provides the technical backbone for these efforts, having recovered 99.6% of nickel, cobalt, and manganese from 210,000 tonnes of batteries last year. These recovered materials are now being funneled directly back into the company’s production lines, proving the commercial viability of a closed-loop system.