Recycling electric vehicle batteries: a strategic priority for Europe and the industry

The lithium‑ion traction battery is the heart of an electric vehicle. It determines its range, performance, and durability, and represents up to 40% of its value. With the accelerating shift to electric mobility—essential to meeting the 2050 climate targets—battery recycling is no longer optional. It has become a major industrial, economic and environmental challenge, as well as a key lever of strategic sovereignty for Europe, explains Sophie Schmidtlin, Chief Technology Officer at The Future is NEUTRAL, the circular‑economy subsidiary of Renault Group and Suez.

Key takeaways:

• The European Union is currently heavily dependent on imports of critical materials needed to manufacture lithium‑ion batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles.
• To address this sovereignty challenge, EU regulations require increased recycling of the minerals used in batteries by setting minimum recycled‑content thresholds by 2030.
• To achieve this, Europe must build a competitive, large‑scale industrial ecosystem around batteries.
• The Future is NEUTRAL already supports car manufacturers by managing and processing end‑of‑life batteries

The Battery recycling industry is essential for Europe’s strategic autonomy

Today, the European Union imports more than 80% of the critical metals needed to produce lithium‑ion batteries for electric or hybrid vehicles. This dependency stems from the scarcity of domestic mining resources as well as the concentration of refining activities in Asia. In this context, recycling battery production scrap (from gigafactories) and end‑of‑life batteries locally is the most effective way to reduce dependence.

European regulations provide a clear direction. Circularity is recognized as a pillar of sovereignty, with a quantified objective: by 2030, at least 25% of Europe’s annual consumption of critical raw materials must come from recycling. It’s ambitious… but achievable if we scale up rapidly

 The lithium‑ion battery: an “urban mine” in Europe

Production scrap and end‑of‑life batteries form a geographically concentrated resource in Europe. They are highly enriched in strategic battery materials (lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and copper), with concentrations higher than natural ores. Even better: these metals can be recycled infinitely with high recovery rates.

This positions recycling as the industrial backbone of the transition: securing supply, reducing the battery’s carbon footprint, and reinjecting recycled materials into the manufacturing of new batteries. A true “from Car to Car” circular model for electric vehicles.

However, regulations do not require that recycled materials come from a European recycling industry: as long as traceability is ensured, manufacturers can source them outside the EU.
Industrial translation: if Europe does not immediately invest in its own recycling value chain, it risks recreating dependency—this time on recycled materials—and allowing other regions to capture the associated economic and technological value. Conversely, rapidly developing local collection and refining capacities accelerates Europe’s strategic autonomy.

Building a competitive European battery recycling industry: an industrial imperative

To be competitive with Asian supply chains and the cost of virgin metals, Europe must:

• optimize costs and operations across the value chain: streamline battery collection, maximize metal‑recovery yields…
• increase the volume of materials to recycle to secure investment and unlock economies of scale
• support industrialisation through appropriate public‑policy mechanisms
• anticipate the diversity of battery chemistries and architectures

Beyond securing supply, a strong European ecosystem also reduces the carbon footprint of batteries manufactured in Europe—one of the core objectives of the EU Batteries Regulation.

Extended producer responsibility applies to EVs and their batteries

Since August 2025, European car manufacturers have been responsible for the end‑of‑life management of the batteries they place on the market. This Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requires them to organize and finance the collection, recycling, and traceability of batteries.

At The Future is NEUTRAL, we support manufacturers in meeting these requirements and in building a genuine circular economy for EV batteries.

In France, we operate the first Individual Battery Compliance Scheme for Renault Group, in partnership with our subsidiary INDRA AUTOMOBILE RECYCLING, the national leader in end‑of‑life vehicle processing, and with our shareholder SUEZ.

In practice, we manage:

• safe battery removal
• handling and processing in certified dismantling centers
• sorting, transportation, discharge, and dismantling
• final recycling in line with EU requirements

This model paves the way for a fully circular “from Car to Car” loop, where materials from one battery are used to manufacture a new one.

Extending Battery Life Before Recycling

Recycling is only the final step in a battery’s life cycle. Thanks to repair and reuse, a battery can remain in service for over 15 years. It can then be repurposed for stationary energy‑storage applications before its final recycling. This is a critical pillar for optimizing the environmental and economic performance of the entire value chain.

Towards European battery sovereignty

Building sovereignty over battery materials is a strategic priority for Europe, and it requires the rapid industrialization of a recycling ecosystem. Scaling up, standardizing, and consolidating the industry will enable Europe to retain economic and technological value and secure the transition to truly sustainable mobility.

Louis, strategic analyst in the first Graduate Program at The Future is NEUTRAL

Towards a committed and sustainable career

Originally from Paris, 25-year-old Louis Hartog joined The Future is NEUTRAL after a demanding educational journey: Stanislas High School (Bac S), two years of preparatory classes, then a Master’s in Management at HEC. During his final year, he specialized in Sustainability and Social Innovation, a choice that reflects his interest in sustainable and innovative solutions.

First step into the professional world

The Future is NEUTRAL’s two-year Graduate Program offers Louis the opportunity to complete three rotations within different entities of the company. He started in September 2025 in the Strategic Management Department, based at the head office in Boulogne-Billancourt. As a strategic analyst, he is involved in developing The Future is NEUTRAL’s five-year strategic plan and contributes to international development, particularly through market research in the field of remanufacturing.

Motivation focused on industrial and ecological impact

Before joining The Future is NEUTRAL, Louis had explored the world of investment funds, but he wanted a role where he could understand industrial issues and play a concrete part in developing the circular economy. Today, he says he is completely satisfied with his choice. For him, the circular economy represents the synthesis of purchasing power, ecology and sovereignty.

Sailing, a breath of adventure

Outside of work, Louis has a true passion for sailing. Driven by a taste for adventure and discovery, he set off on a voyage aboard his sailboat as soon as he joined The Future is NEUTRAL. He chose to celebrate this important milestone in his career in a Scottish port, over a glass of local whisky – a memorable experience he is unlikely to forget.

Ambition and prospects

Through the Graduate Program, Louis hopes to consolidate his experience and find his place within The Future is NEUTRAL, while contributing to the development of a company that combines industrial innovation with sustainable impact.

Mohamed, from vehicle assembly to end-of-life vehicle dismantling: an industrial career in the service of the circular economy

After more than 30 years at the heart of the automotive industry with Renault Group, Mohamed has chosen to put his expertise and passion to work on a new challenge: the dismantling and recycling of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) at GAIA – The Future is NEUTRAL. His career has been marked by commitment, knowledge sharing, and a desire to build a more responsible industry.

An early attachment to the automotive world

After graduating from a school for panel beaters specialising in car body repair – Institut des Métiers de l’Artisanat – Mohamed developed a strong connection with cars at an early age, both for their technical aspects and his passion for them. In 1994, he joined the Renault Group as a panel beater. This first industrial experience enabled him to acquire a solid foundation in quality, safety, and operational rigour.

A rich evolution within the Renault Group

In 1998, when the Renault Clio Campus was launched, Mohamed was offered a new challenge: to become Head of the Basic Work Unit (CUET). Driven by a desire to progress and become more involved in team management and industrial performance, he enthusiastically accepted this opportunity.

Over the years, his career path has been enriched. He has worked in all departments of the factory and has also been involved at other industrial sites, notably in Sandouville and Batilly, as part of new vehicle launches.

Giving meaning to his expertise with GAIA – The Future is NEUTRAL

In September 2024, Mohamed decided to join GAIA – The Future is NEUTRAL, a project that perfectly aligned with his personal beliefs. For him, the circular economy is above all about avoiding waste, giving automotive parts a second life, and taking concrete action for the planet through material recycling.

He sees The Future is NEUTRAL as a pioneer in the circular economy, driven by the diversity and complementarity of its activities. Today, Mohamed draws on his experience at Renault Group: good industrial practices, high standards of safety and quality, and customer focus all contribute to the achievement of performance and profitability objectives.

A career with a future at the heart of end-of-life vehicle dismantling

Today, Mohamed works on the assessment and dismantling of end-of-life vehicles. Each vehicle is carefully analysed to identify reusable parts for resale and those to be dismantled. It is a profession firmly focused on the future, relying on new methods and innovative tools to ensure the deconstruction and depollution of vehicles.

Among these tools, decontamination machines are used to treat all used fluids: fuel (diesel or petrol), windscreen washer fluid, coolant, brake fluid, AdBlue, oil filters, and used oil. This is a key step in ensuring responsible and safe recycling.

An unbroken passion for historic vehicles

Outside of his professional life, Mohamed has a long-standing passion for restoring classic cars. He loves bringing old cars back to life, repairing and renovating them with patience, precision, and respect for their history. He also takes part in events dedicated to classic cars (exhibitions, rallies), which are special occasions for sharing his passion with other enthusiasts.

Throughout his career, Mohamed has perfectly embodied the combination of industrial expertise, a passion for cars and a commitment to a more sustainable industry.

INDRA celebrated its 40th anniversary on December 12th, 2025, simultaneously at its 7 sites in France. A long-standing French recycler of end-of-life vehicles since 1985, INDRA was born from a simple idea: to transform what others considered to be the end into a new beginning. Since then, this vision has continued to grow, giving materials, parts and vehicles a second life and contributing to a circular economy where every resource counts. A unique industrial model has been developed over the years.

The anniversary celebration highlighted teamwork, creativity, and commitment. Warm exchanges, shared memories, and smiles punctuated the day. Recycled car doors were transformed into collective works of art, and messages written together outlined the company’s vision for the future. The day illustrated INDRA’s DNA: human, innovative and proud of its expertise.

INDRA’s strength lies in its people: those who dismantle, sort, inspect, imagine, design and innovate every day. These 40 years are not a final destination, but a milestone and a promise: to continue building the future of automotive circularity in France and Europe.

INDRA at the heart of The Future is NEUTRAL strategy

Since 2022, The Future is NEUTRAL has been working to collect, dismantle, reuse, remanufacture and recycle end-of-life vehicles to reintroduce them into the automotive life cycle. By joining this ecosystem, INDRA AUTOMOBILE RECYCLING is leveraging its 40 years of expertise and a unique network: insurance and manufacturing partners, ELV centres, national coverage, partnership with OPISTO, thousands of vehicles recycled each year, and millions of parts reused.

This collaboration makes it possible to :

• Create new virtuous cycles and reduce the environmental footprint of the automotive industry.
• Offer industrialised, local, and economic solutions.
• Leverage INDRA’s expertise to extract and make more parts and materials available.
• Ensure transparency, traceability, quality, and value through the digitalisation and automation of processes.

Dismantling, the core of the business, benefits from INDRA’s expertise, bringing value and know-how to The Future is NEUTRAL ecosystem.

INDRA: a major player in the recovery of end-of-life vehicles

INDRA offers France’s leading network of dismantling centres, with 350 sites, including 9 owned by INDRA, 420 local companies and 39 partner insurance groups. Since 2023, an acquisition and investment program has been strengthening regional industrial sites to meet the growing needs of the Circular Economy Parts and recyclable materials market.

Core business activities :

• Collection, depollution and dismantling of damaged and end-of-life vehicles.
• Production ans distribution of 385 000 Circular Economy Parts each year.
• Supply of secondary materials for recycling.
• Services for insurers and manufacturers (anti-waste law, batteries).
• Engineering and training via the AURECA ELV centre.

Every year, INDRA processes 425,000 vehicles, with a target of recovering 100% of what is entrusted to it. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) simplified by Quantis shows that reusing body parts reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 45 to 95% and the use of virgin resources by 95 to 100%.

Recycled materials 2020–2025:

• 3 331 tonnes of polypropylene
• 1 336 tonnes of copper cables
• 465,000 catalytic converters reused

In 2025, INDRA demonstrated a strong commitment to inclusion and training among its 360 employees: a professional equality index of 98/100, 11.43% of employees with disabilities, and 1,060 trainees supported by the AURECA centre.

https://www.thefutureisneutral.com/our-entities/indra-automobile-recycling/

THE REMAKERS, a subsidiary of The Future is NEUTRAL, is the European leader in the remanufacturing of components for combustion, hybrid, and electric vehicles. Its mission is to drive innovation that extends the life of automotive parts while reducing environmental impact.

The innovation

In 2025, THE REMAKERS was awarded twice for achieving a European first: the complete remanufacturing of an electric vehicle powertrain, including the motor and power electronics (PEC). At the Refactory workshop in Flins (Yvelines, France), THE REMAKERS receives the parts, disassembles them, sorts the components, and carries out the cleaning process.

For the electric motor, THE REMAKERS refurbishes the components of the 5AX generation motor: stator, rotor, casings, and replaces the bearings to guarantee original performance.

THE REMAKERS also provides complete remanufacturing of key power electronics components with its partners VALEO and AUMOVIO Engineering Solutions. VALEO handles the inverter, which is the computer that controls the electric traction motor. AUMOVIO Engineering Solutions handles the remanufacturing of the DC/DC converter, an electronic control unit that converts the traction battery voltage (400V) to the on-board electrical system – 12V. Once remanufactured, these two components are reassembled and tested on test benches at THE REMAKERS workshop.

Through a certified industrial process and rigorous testing, the remanufacturing of these parts guarantees quality equivalent to a new part, while reducing cost and environmental impact. Once remanufactured, the PEC costs on average 30% less than a new part. It retains the performance of a new product while reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 90%.

THE REMAKERS developed this solution with Renault Group teams and aims to implement it with other manufacturers.

An Innovation Award at EQUIP AUTO

EQUIP AUTO is an international trade show for automotive professionals and a key event for the automotive industry, after-sales, and services in France. From October 14th to 18th, 2025, the show brought together 91,500 international professionals and 1,400 exhibitors at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.

Every year, the event showcases the sector’s latest advances by hosting the International Automotive Innovation Awards.  These awards recognize the most innovative concepts, products, and services, while promoting emerging technologies in the industry.

On this occasion, THE REMAKERS, a subsidiary of The Future is NEUTRAL, was awarded an innovation prize by the jury, composed of French and international journalists from the trade and consumer press. This award recognizes their comprehensive remanufacturing solution for electric vehicle powertrains in the categories of energy transition, sustainable development, and circular economy.

A CLEPA Innovation Award

CLEPA is the European Association of Automotive Suppliers, representing more than 3,000 companies in Europe. It acts as a representative body for European and international institutions to promote innovation, competitiveness, and ecological transition in the automotive sector. Each year, the CLEPA Innovation Awards recognize technological advances developed by automotive suppliers in two categories: digital and green technology.

On November 19, 2025, THE REMAKERS received an Innovation Award from CLEPA in the “Green” category for its PEC remanufacturing offering.

“These two awards are a true recognition of THE REMAKERS’ expertise. They are proof of our commitment to placing innovation at the heart of our activities and serving a competitive circular economy for our customers.”

Claire BRIDONNEAU – Business Developpement Director, THE REMAKERS

For the third year in a row, The Future Is NEUTRAL took part in the ChangeNOW Summit, reaffirming its commitment to accelerating the automotive industry’s shift toward circularity.

Held from April 24 to 26 at the Grand Palais in Paris, ChangeNOW 2025 brought together over 40,000 change-makers from 140 countries including business leaders, policymakers, startups, and more.

This year, The Future Is NEUTRAL took part through the voice of its CEO, Jean-Philippe Bahuaud, who spoke during a panel discussion on the theme “Thinking Long-Term in a Short-Term World.”

“Combining sustainability and competitiveness is essential, we must meet our customers’ immediate needs without losing sight of our long-term impact. End consumers won’t pay more just because a product is more environmentally friendly. Europe needs to become far more competitive and pragmatic to scale circular economy activities.”
Jean-Philippe Bahuaud, CEO

Sustainability & Competitiveness: An Essential Alliance             
The success of the ecological transition depends on its ability to align with existing economic models.

• Ecology must not result in added costs for consumers
• Companies must offer sustainable, accessible, and attractive solutions
• Sustainability is becoming a performance driver, not a constraint

Thinking Long-Term, Acting in the Short Term
The ecological transition operates on a dual timeline: strategic vision and immediate impact.

• Long-term goals set the direction
• Short-term actions drive tangible progress
• Every initiative, every project matters

A European Responsibility

Europe has a strategic role to play in shaping an ambitious circular economy.

• Combine environmental ambition with industrial performance
• Strengthen competitiveness at the continental level
• Build on key sectors such as the automotive industry

Through its circular economy solutions in the automotive sector, The Future Is NEUTRAL turns each vehicle’s end of life into an opportunity for reuse, repair, or recycling fully embodying this drive for change.

Through the partnership with Continental Engineering Services (CES), The Remakers is enhancing its circular economy offering dedicated to electric vehicles.

This offering – the first in Europe – covers the remanufacturing of the electric motor and power electronics unit, major components of the electric powertrain or the traction chain.

At the heart of the collaboration between The Remakers and CES is the DCDC converter, a power electronics component essential for managing energy between high-voltage and low-voltage systems in electric vehicles.

The remanufacturing of DCDC converters involves several steps. CES diagnoses, repairs defective components, and tests 100% of the repaired components. The repaired DCDC converters are then reassembled into power electronics units remanufactured by The Remakers.

“The repair process has been validated, the repaired parts meticulously analysed by our quality labs and confirmed by rigorous stress tests to ensure they meet ‘like new’ standards. Each part then undergoes a functional end-of-line test to ensure reliability,”

Aurelien Groussard, Local Segment Head Cross Technology Operations France.

The Remakers manages end-to-end logistics, while CES’s traceability systems ensure transparency at every stage, from repair to shipping, through the testing phase – a key aspect for the circular economy.

This partnership allows to bring to market a remanufacturing solution for a technological component in a shortened time frame. The ultimate goal is to offer customers a remanufactured part 30% cheaper than new, guaranteed as new, with reduced impact on natural resources.

The Future Is NEUTRAL helps operators in the end-of-life vehicle treatment and valorization to step up their game through the implementation of digital solutions tailored to their needs.

In a European market of reuse parts in full transformation and expected to double by 2030, driven by growing customer expectations and regulatory developments, digital plays a key role in the necessary transformation of the sector. The Future Is NEUTRAL aims to implement concrete solutions at every stage of the value chain.

A first step begins with the partnership between INDRA, a company of The Future Is NEUTRAL, and a leading player in the treatment and valorization of end-of-life vehicles, and Opisto, the leader in the online distribution of reuse parts. This partnership is carried out through INDRA’s acquisition of a 47% stake in Opisto, allowing both companies to strengthen their capabilities to better meet the new needs of all stakeholders in the sector, including dismantling centers, repairers, insurers, and individual customers.

Extracting more value from end-of-life vehicles

Opisto’s Digital Management System, a reference tool in the industry, optimizes productivity, increases profitability, and meets regulatory constraints. Already adopted by 600 dismantling centers, it will be enriched with new features to extract more value from end-of-life vehicles and expand more widely in Europe. It can also offer new value creation sources for dismantling centers, thanks to synergies with The Future Is Neutral’s subsidiaries, such as The Remakers, which specializes in the remanufacturing of automotive parts.

Democratizing access to parts from the circular economy

The Future Is NEUTRAL can rely on Opisto’s marketplace to expand the commercial outlets for its subsidiaries’ reuse and remanufactured parts. With 12 million visitors, 7 million parts in stock, and €125 million in Gross Merchandise Value in 2024, Opisto’s marketplace is a European leader in online reuse parts distribution with significant development potential, driven by increased offer quality and the development of new services.

“We are delighted to strengthen our collaboration with Opisto, a rapidly growing company and already a leader in the digitalization of end-of-life vehicle dismantling and the online sale of reuse parts. Digitalization is a key lever to support all players in this rapidly transforming industry. It allows creating sustainable value for all stakeholders: for end-of-life vehicle treatment centers by industrializing the dismantling process and offering more outlets, for repairers and customers by offering a wider and higher quality range of parts from the circular economy at a competitive price, and for the planet, as circular economy parts have a much lower environmental footprint than new parts.”

Remi Gancel, Head of Strategy & Planning, The Future Is NEUTRAL

The Future Is NEUTRAL takes a first decisive step in opening up its capital, with the entry of SUEZ as a strategic shareholder, at 20%, alongside the historical shareholder, Renault Group.

The Future Is NEUTRAL benefits from a contribution valued at €140 million from its two shareholders, allowing it to pursue its growth plan.

In addition, SUEZ will provide human support to The Future Is NEUTRAL, through the appointment of a person to the Management Committee.

The completion of this investment and contributions is subject to the prior regulatory authorizations required for this type of transaction.

Supported by its two shareholders, industrial flagships, and references in their respective sectors, The Future Is NEUTRAL strengthens its capacity to support the various players in the automotive sector in the implementation of circular economy solutions.

The material and human contributions of its two shareholders contribute to supporting its ambitious growth plan, aiming to reach €2.3 billion in cumulative turnover from its activities and a double-digit profit.

“SUEZ’s decision to team up with us in The Future Is NEUTRAL is new evidence that we did the right move when we came up with this model. Our joint investment will allow us to accelerate towards our goal: to provide an open circular economy platform that meets the needs of all players in the automotive industry in growing activities. We are doing this by strengthening existing operations and creating new closed-loop recycling solutions, from car to car” states Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group.

“By investing in The Future Is NEUTRAL alongside Renault Group, SUEZ is moving into a stronger position to support automotive industry players on their ecological transition. Securing secondary raw material supplies is one of the key challenges the automotive sector has to address over the coming years. Our expertise in waste recycling and recovery will enable us to support the sector’s transformation as it transitions towards more circularity and to reduce its reliance on virgin raw materials,” explains Sabrina Soussan, Chairman and CEO of SUEZ.

A COMBINATION OF HIGH-LEVEL EXPERTISE AND A SOLID INDUSTRIAL BASE

The Future Is NEUTRAL, a 360° player in the circular automotive economy, “from car-to-car”, is strengthening its positions, thanks to a unique combination of technical expertise and industrial capacities made available by its two shareholders.

SUEZ brings: its complete mastery of automotive recycling, its expertise in automotive waste management – collection, massification, sorting and recovery of the material – and its industrial capacities to produce homogeneous flows of recycled raw materials on an industrial scale.

Following the transaction, INDRA becomes a 100% subsidiary of The Future Is NEUTRAL, strengthening the company’s presence across the entire value chain of the automotive circular economy and thus further addressing the entire automotive industry.

Renault Group provides its knowledge in eco-design and automotive life cycle, as well as the industrial capacities of the Flins Refactory (France), the first European circular economy factory dedicated to mobility.

The Open Innovation Hub, dedicated to supporting Climatech start-ups, is closing its third incubation program recruitment campaign.

The call for applications, running from March 18 to July 12, 2024, is aimed at entrepreneurs keen to:

• Proposing circular economy solutions in mobility or energy
• Encouraging reuse, recyclability, and reparability
• Promoting the energy transition
• Moving towards sustainable mobility

To apply -> https://hub.refactorybyrenaultgroup.com/program/the-future-is-neutral

After an initial in-depth study of each project, the shortlisted start-ups pitch to a jury made up of experts from The Future Is NEUTRAL and the Flins Refactory. Finalists are offered a 6-month incubation program (from September 19, 2024).

The program includes access to :

✅ The expertise of The Future Is NEUTRAL, Renault Group and ecosystem partners

✅ Comprehensive support tailored to each project’s level of maturity

✅ A sessions dedicated to key circular economy topics such as: circular business, LCA, eco-design, choice of materials, recyclability, impact measurement

✅ A Qualiopi-certified training course on entrepreneurship.

✅ Scaling up

At the end of the incubation program, incubated startups will have the opportunity to get acquainted with investors, partners, and journalists at a Demoday. This unique opportunity has already helped more than 30 startups previously supported by The Future Is NEUTRAL Innovation Hub.