Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has launched a coalition with major automakers including Xiaomi, BMW, Renault and Volvo to establish international standards for battery reuse and remanufacturing, aiming to improve sustainability and asset management in the EV supply chain.
CATL has used London Climate Action Week to unveil a broader push to make battery recycling and remanufacturing more consistent across markets, bringing together automakers including Xiaomi, BMW, Renault and Volvo in a new alliance focused on the circular economy for batteries.
According to the companies involved, the collaboration is designed to create a more structured pathway for battery asset management and vehicle end-of-life rules. A key output will be a “Battery Circular Design Guide”, which the alliance says it intends to publish in full by 2027. The framework is expected to set common technical standards for battery cell diagnostics, easier pack disassembly and cell remanufacturing, with applications for both passenger electric vehicles and heavy commercial logistics fleets.
The initiative comes as battery makers and vehicle manufacturers face growing pressure to reduce the carbon footprint of supply chains and prove the value of recovered materials. CATL says the alliance will also examine battery operating history, degradation and remaining service life so that operators can calculate asset values more accurately and manage financial risk more effectively.
The move builds on CATL’s existing circularity programme. In Davos this year, the company launched its Global Energy Circularity Commitment, a wider effort to connect battery design, use and recovery across mobility and energy storage. CATL says this approach is meant to turn circularity into a commercial as well as environmental strategy.
The timing also reflects the scale of London Climate Action Week, which the event’s organisers describe as one of the world’s largest independent climate gatherings. Held annually in London, it brings together policymakers, businesses and civil society to accelerate climate action.
CATL has been arguing that the need for better recycling systems is becoming more urgent as emissions embedded in mining and raw materials remain far higher than those from factory operations alone. The company says recycled inputs have helped it cut the carbon intensity of materials by 32%, while its subsidiary Brunp processed 210,000 tonnes of battery waste in 2025 and recovered 99.6% of key minerals.
CATL has also said Brunp helped shape more than 80% of China’s national lithium-ion battery recycling standards and processed more than 120,000 tonnes of waste batteries in 2024, producing 17,100 tonnes of recycled lithium salts. The company presents that record as evidence that battery recycling can move from fragmented collection towards industrial-scale recovery.
The push for standardisation is also linked to CATL’s work on commercial vehicle battery swapping in Europe. The company has selected Octopus Energy as a partner to help build a truck battery swapping network, using engineering methods previously tested on a 1,250-kilometre battery swapping corridor in China.
CATL says its core manufacturing emissions intensity has fallen by 77% since 2022 after 1,000 efficiency projects, and that its main battery production sites achieved operational carbon neutrality last year. For industrial decarbonisation professionals, the more significant point may be that the company is trying to turn circular design into a cross-border operating standard rather than a back-end recycling exercise.
- https://www.starnewskorea.com/en/business-life/2026/06/29/2026062909584288189 – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.catl.com/en/news/6595.html – Brunp Recycling, a subsidiary of CATL, has led or participated in the formulation of over 80% of China’s national standards for lithium-ion battery recycling. The company has been designated as an industry benchmark by various ministries, effectively driving the industry’s transformation from ‘disordered recycling’ to ‘standardized and large-scale’ development. In 2024, Brunp processed over 120,000 tons of waste batteries and produced 17,100 tons of recycled lithium salts, significantly reducing China’s dependence on the import of nickel, cobalt, and lithium resources.
- https://www.catl.com/en/gecc/ – CATL’s Global Energy Circularity Commitment (GECC) aims to accelerate collaboration and innovation in circular battery solutions. Launched at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos 2026, the initiative highlights how circular approaches—from design through use to recovery—unlock economic, environmental, and operational value. CATL supports these insights as part of its commitment to advancing circular thinking and connecting design, utilization, and material capture across mobility and energy storage systems.
- https://www.unep.org/events/unep-event/london-climate-action-week-2026 – London Climate Action Week (LCAW) is one of the world’s largest independent climate events, bringing together policymakers, businesses, cities, scientists, civil society, youth, and communities to accelerate climate action. Since its launch in 2019, LCAW has become a major global platform for collaboration, creating space for ideas, partnerships, and practical solutions that drive ambition and implementation worldwide. The 2026 event is scheduled from 20 to 28 June in London, UK.
- https://carnewschina.com/2026/06/29/catl-xiaomi-bmw-global-battery-alliance-europe-swapping/ – CATL, along with automakers including Xiaomi, BMW, Renault, and Volvo, launched a global alliance during London Climate Action Week to standardize the battery circular economy. The alliance aims to develop a ‘Battery Circular Design Guide’ with a full public release by 2027. The guidelines will introduce unified technical standards for diagnostic testing of battery cells, simplification of pack disassembly, and cell remanufacturing, applicable to both passenger electric vehicles and large commercial logistics vehicles.
- https://www.carbontrust.com/news-and-insights/events/london-climate-action-week – London Climate Action Week (LCAW) is one of the world’s largest independent climate gatherings, uniting local and global leaders across sectors to accelerate meaningful climate action. Throughout the week, the Carbon Trust’s senior experts will help shape the conversation by contributing to key events, offering practical insights on driving system-wide change, scaling climate solutions, and supporting organisations as they navigate an evolving climate landscape. The 2026 event is scheduled from 22 to 25 June in London.
- https://globalcommonsalliance.org/news/london-climate-action-week-2026/ – The Global Commons Alliance Secretariat will be at London Climate Action Week, a key gathering in the international climate calendar which takes place June 20-28. This page will be regularly updated with events the Secretariat and Alliance members are hosting. If you can’t be there, keep an eye on We Don’t Have Time’s livestream throughout the week. The event aims to accelerate climate action and collaboration among global leaders.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article reports on a recent announcement from London Climate Action Week, dated June 29, 2026. Similar initiatives have been reported earlier, such as CATL’s partnership with BMW in February 2026 ([catl.com](https://www.catl.com/en/news/6754.html?utm_source=openai)) and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s whitepaper in January 2026 ([catl.com](https://www.catl.com/en/news/6703.html?utm_source=openai)). However, this specific alliance involving CATL, BMW, Renault, Volvo, Xiaomi, and Google appears to be a new development. The article’s freshness is supported by its publication date and the novelty of the alliance.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes attributed to CATL and other involved parties. However, these quotes are not independently verifiable through the provided sources. The absence of direct links to the original statements raises concerns about the authenticity and accuracy of the quotes. Without access to the original sources, the reliability of these quotes cannot be fully confirmed.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The article originates from Starnews Korea, a news outlet that appears to be a translation of a Korean source. While it provides detailed information, the lack of a clear, independent verification from major news organizations or official press releases diminishes its reliability. The absence of corroboration from other reputable sources raises questions about the accuracy and independence of the reporting.
Plausibility check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims about the alliance’s goals and the development of a ‘Battery Circular Design Guide’ by 2027 are plausible and align with industry trends towards sustainability and circular economy practices. However, the lack of independent verification and the absence of direct quotes from the involved parties make it difficult to fully assess the credibility of these claims.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article presents information about a new alliance involving CATL, BMW, Renault, Volvo, Xiaomi, and Google to standardize the battery circular economy. While the initiative is plausible and aligns with industry trends, the lack of independent verification, absence of direct quotes from the involved parties, and reliance on a single source diminish the credibility of the reporting. The absence of corroboration from other reputable sources raises questions about the accuracy and independence of the information presented.
