Ascend Elements has begun construction of its largest electric vehicle battery recycling and engineered materials manufacturing facility. The facility will help meet North America’s growing demand for lithium-ion battery materials, specifically engineered precursor (pCAM) and battery-ready cathode active materials (CAM). When finished, the Apex 1 facility will produce enough pCAM and CAM to equip 250,000 EVs per year.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) recently awarded two grants totalling $480 million to Ascend Elements to support construction of the Apex facility.
Ascend Elements plans to invest close to $1 billion in the 140-acre campus and 500,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. The first-of-its-kind facility will be home to the company’s Hydro-to-Cathode direct precursor synthesis process technology. This closed-loop system generates minimal waste and carbon emissions compared to traditional cathode manufacturing.
With potential expansion phases, the facility will employ up to 400 people and generate up to $4.4 billion in economic impact to Kentucky over the construction period and first 10 years.