General Motors has begun using materials recovered from old electric batteries in new battery cells that are actually entering production vehicles, rather than only test models. The company is carrying out this pilot program in cooperation with battery recycling company Cirba Solutions.
The recycled materials were used in batteries for the Cadillac Lyriq, Vistiq, Escalade IQ, and Escalade IQL, as well as the Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss and GMC Sierra EV AT4. According to GM, the cells in these batteries have already reached vehicles intended for customers.
How Were the Materials Reused?
Cirba Solutions processed end-of-life batteries—80 packs in total—to extract what is known as “black mass,” a powder containing materials from battery electrodes, including lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite. This material cannot be used directly, as it requires chemical processing to convert it into active cathode material.
GM said the process produced 12 metric tons of active cathode material made from 100% recycled nickel, cobalt, and manganese. This material was then used to manufacture new battery cells. The company says the cells based on recovered materials achieved performance comparable to cells made from newly extracted raw materials after quality, safety, and performance were verified according to the standards required for electric vehicles.
What Changes in Practice?
GM estimates that up to 95% of the nickel, cobalt, and manganese, and approximately 80% of the lithium, can be recovered, depending on the battery chemistry and recycling method. On a broad scale, this pathway could reduce reliance on new mining, limit the environmental impact associated with mineral extraction, and potentially lower battery production costs.
However, the program’s results alone do not prove that recycling will reduce vehicle or battery prices; the project is still experimental, and recovery rates depend on the type of battery and the chemical processes used. The material also provided no details about the scale of commercial production or the timetable for expanding the program.
Reuse Before Recycling
A battery does not necessarily have to be dismantled immediately after leaving a vehicle. Some batteries may receive a “second life” in energy storage systems before their materials are recovered. GM is working with Redwood Materials to deploy approximately 10,000 used electric vehicle batteries in energy storage applications, after which they will be recycled when they reach the end of their operational lives.
This step comes as part of a broader trend in the electric vehicle industry. Porsche said it has produced prototype cells using recycled materials and plans to introduce them into production vehicles by 2028, while Rivian uses end-of-use batteries in storage systems connected to its plant in the state of Illinois.
certi.news analysis: The most important development here is the transition of recycled materials from the processing or testing stage to cells installed in production cars. This gives GM practical evidence that recovered metals can be reintroduced into the battery manufacturing chain, but it does not yet answer questions about scale, cost, or supply continuity. The success of this approach on a broad scale will depend on battery collection, the separation of their chemistries, and the ability of processing facilities to produce new materials meeting the required specifications.