Brunp Directional Recycling for EV Batteries

Guangdong Brunp Recycling Technology was founded in 2005 in Guangdong, China, and is a holding subsidiary of battery maker CATL. It works on recycling, resources and battery materials, offering automakers and battery producers a closed-loop route for traction batteries from manufacturing and use through echelon (second-life) utilisation to recycling.

Retired batteries are tested for health, classified and sent either to echelon use or to regeneration. Its directional recycling technology (DRT) uses automated disassembly and full-component recovery to turn batteries back into precursors, cathode materials and lithium salts. Each pack is traced from ordering and transport to dismantling, with data uploaded to China's MIIT system. Bases operate in China and an Indonesia project began construction in 2019.

• Recycling network: more than 200 recycling network points in China built with industry partners.
• Health-based sorting: retired batteries are graded for echelon use or regeneration.
• Directional recycling technology: automated disassembly and full-component recovery.
• Material outputs: precursors, cathode and anode materials and lithium salts for new cells.
• Traceability: tracking from order to dismantling with data reported to MIIT.
• Environmental controls: zero discharge of high-salinity wastewater and carbon capture of process gas.

Vietnamese EV and electric bus makers using CATL cells can set up take-back and recycling programmes for retired packs. Battery assembly plants can route production scrap into a closed-loop materials partner. Energy companies can source graded second-life packs for storage pilots.

Automakers get one partner for collection, health grading, second-life routing and material recovery, linked to CATL's cell and material supply. The company reports existing capacity of 120,000 tonnes of waste traction batteries a year, with more than 300,000 tonnes under construction. Full traceability and customer data confidentiality prevent batteries from leaking into informal channels, and its wastewater technology cuts ammonia nitrogen from 2,000 to 4,000 mg/L down to 8 mg/L.

China's retired traction battery volumes are rising sharply, and automakers expanding into Southeast Asia, including Vietnam and Indonesia, need recycling and second-life partners that can follow their vehicles abroad. Battery makers are also moving toward closed-loop supply, where recycled nickel, cobalt and lithium flow straight back into new cells.

Founded in 2005 in Guangdong; holding subsidiary of CATL and a national standard-setting unit for traction battery recycling in China. Started construction of an Indonesia project in 2019. Holds China Patent Awards of Excellence and was on the MIIT white list for battery recycling. Its team won two European Inventor Award 2026 honours.