General Motors Completes Closed-Loop EV Battery Recycling

General Motors Completes Closed-Loop Battery Recycling Pilot

In September 2026, General Motors and Cirba Solutions announced the successful completion of a closed-loop EV battery recycling pilot program. The project used materials recovered from end-of-life GM EV battery packs to produce new battery cells. These cells represent GM's first EV batteries made with cathode active materials containing fully recycled nickel, cobalt, and manganese. The result demonstrates how materials recovered from used EV batteries can be returned to the battery manufacturing process, creating a closed-loop pathway that connects battery recovery, material refinement, cathode production, and new cell manufacturing within the same broader recycling cycle.

EV Battery Packs Processed Into Reusable Materials

The pilot began with the partners disassembling and processing end-of-life EV battery packs. The recovered materials were then delivered to Cirba Solutions' recycling and recovery facility in Ohio, where they were processed into black mass. The partners subsequently refined the black mass and validated the resulting materials' performance before using them to produce new cathode active materials and battery modules. This sequence established a complete process from retired EV battery packs through material recovery and refinement to the production of components that can be used in new batteries.

Recycled Nickel, Cobalt and Manganese Used in New Cells

The battery cells produced during the pilot contain cathode active materials made with fully recycled nickel, cobalt, and manganese recovered from end-of-life GM EV battery packs. This achievement is significant because it demonstrates that recovered battery materials can be refined and incorporated into new battery-cell production while maintaining the required performance validation. The new cathode active materials and battery modules were produced at GM's Factor ZERO and Spring Hill assembly centers. The process therefore connected recycling operations with manufacturing locations used by General Motors to demonstrate the practical application of recovered battery materials.

Closed-Loop Recycling Could Reduce Mineral Supply Dependence

The pilot demonstrates the potential viability of battery recycling systems as EV adoption increases and more batteries eventually reach the end of their useful lives. Reusing materials recovered from retired battery packs can support lower-cost battery production while improving sustainability and reducing dependence on newly mined minerals. The involvement of Cirba Solutions also demonstrates the role of specialized recycling and recovery operations in converting end-of-life battery materials into usable inputs for new battery production. The closed-loop approach links battery recycling more directly with future manufacturing needs and material supply requirements.

Industry Impact & Outlook

The completed pilot gives the EV industry a practical example of how recovered battery materials can move through a closed-loop process and return to new battery production. For automakers, successful recycling pathways could help address long-term material supply requirements while reducing reliance on newly mined nickel, cobalt, and manganese. For recyclers, the project highlights the importance of refining and validating recovered materials to meet battery manufacturing requirements. The results also indicate that integrating recycling operations with battery production could become increasingly relevant as the volume of end-of-life EV batteries grows and manufacturers seek more sustainable material strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did General Motors and Cirba Solutions achieve with their battery recycling pilot?
General Motors and Cirba Solutions completed a closed-loop EV battery recycling pilot that produced new battery cells using cathode active materials containing fully recycled nickel, cobalt, and manganese. The process began by disassembling and processing end-of-life EV battery packs, followed by recovery and refinement into black mass at a Cirba Solutions facility in Ohio. The refined materials were then used to produce new cathode active materials and battery modules at GM's Factor ZERO and Spring Hill assembly centers, demonstrating a pathway for returning recovered battery materials to new battery production.