General Motors and Cirba Solutions have completed a closed-loop EV battery recycling pilot that produced the first GM EV batteries with cathode active material (CAM) containing 100 percent recycled nickel, cobalt and manganese. The companies report that the first vehicles carrying these cells rolled off the line this month and are headed to customers. Materials for the cells were recovered from end-of-life GM EV battery packs and processed at Cirba Solutions’ lithium-ion recycling facility in Ohio.
Highlights
- 100 percent recycled nickel, cobalt and manganese in the cathode active material of the pilot cells, according to the companies
- Black Mass produced at Cirba Solutions’ Ohio lithium-ion recycling and recovery facility served as the intermediate feedstock
- Ultium Cells, the GM–LG Energy Solution joint venture, manufactured the cells; GM assembled modules and packs at Factory ZERO and Spring Hill
- First EVs with the recycled-content cells left the line this month, the companies say
How the Closed-Loop Pilot Worked
GM partnered with Cirba Solutions to disassemble and process end-of-life EV battery packs. The material was transported to Cirba Solutions’ lithium-ion recycling and recovery facility in Ohio, where it was processed into Black Mass — a concentrated intermediate rich in critical minerals that results from shredding and processing lithium-ion batteries.
Recovery is only the first step. Nickel, cobalt and manganese help determine a battery’s performance, and recycled materials must meet the same standards as virgin minerals before they can enter new cell production. According to the release, a further partnership refined the Black Mass, validated its performance and produced new CAM made entirely from the recycled nickel, cobalt and manganese. The release does not name the refining partner.
Which Facilities Built the Cells and Packs?
Ultium Cells, the joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution, produced the battery cells using the recycled CAM. GM manufacturing teams assembled the cells into modules and packs at the Factory ZERO and Spring Hill assembly centers. Release photography shows a GMC Sierra EV with recycled-content cells leaving Factory ZERO.
“This pilot shows that the value of an EV battery can extend well beyond its first life – and that strong partnerships across the battery ecosystem are essential to building a more circular, resilient future for battery technology,” said Melissa Flaherty, Director of Sustainable EV Battery Ecosystem at GM.
Why Domestic Recycling Capacity Matters
The release cites two outside projections to frame the program: nearly 14 million EV batteries are projected to reach end-of-life globally by 2040, and annual lithium-ion battery demand is expected to reach roughly 4.2 to 6.8 terawatt-hours over the next decade. The companies position the pilot as evidence that recycled material can be recovered and reused in new EV batteries, and say expanded domestic processing capacity opens closed-loop opportunities across EV, energy storage, data center and consumer device formats.
Other automakers are pursuing parallel routes to recovered materials: BMW and Encory recently commissioned a direct battery recycling center in Bavaria, while GM itself has outlined second-life stationary storage plans for repurposed packs.
“Battery recycling is an important, intersecting component across the battery supply chain, and this program effectively demonstrates the value that recycling end-of-life batteries brings to creating a closed-loop supply of critical minerals,” said David Klanecky, President and CEO of Cirba Solutions. “The global battery supply chain is an interconnected network of innovative and collaborative organizations – and engaging in partnerships like this with GM shows us how this work can truly strengthen our supply chains, manufacturing, global competitiveness and national security.”
Cirba Solutions says recovery and reuse of critical minerals through partnerships of this kind can support lower-cost batteries over time, reduce reliance on newly mined materials and strengthen supply chain resilience.
