General Motors and Redwood Materials have expanded their battery collaboration with a new second-life energy storage project in Michigan that will use retired electric vehicle battery packs to support manufacturing operations.
The project will deploy approximately 100 repurposed GM battery packs to create a battery energy storage system with a capacity of 1.5 megawatts and 7.2 megawatt-hours at a General Motors manufacturing facility.
According to Redwood Materials, the installation is designed to lower electricity costs while improving energy resilience at the site.
Batteries Gain Second Life After Vehicle Use
The project highlights the growing role of second-life battery applications as automakers and recycling companies seek to maximize the value of electric vehicle batteries beyond their automotive service life.
Redwood said the Michigan system is expected to reduce electricity costs by more than $3 million over the project’s operational lifetime.
The company views the deployment as an example of how EV battery technology can continue providing value after batteries are retired from vehicles, before eventually being recycled to recover critical materials.
Partnership Covers Entire Battery Lifecycle
The latest project deepens cooperation between General Motors and Redwood Materials, making GM the first automaker to work with Redwood across the full battery lifecycle.
The partnership now includes recycling of manufacturing scrap, processing of end-of-life EV batteries, deployment of second-life energy storage systems and recovery of raw materials for future battery production.
Redwood already works with Ultium Cells, GM’s battery manufacturing joint venture with LG Energy Solution, recycling production scrap generated at battery facilities in the United States.
When GM electric vehicle batteries reach the end of their useful life on the road, they are sent to Redwood for either repurposing or materials recovery.
Thousands of Battery Packs Targeted for Reuse
Redwood said it has received more than 28,000 metric tonnes of battery material from General Motors and Ultium Cells for recycling.
The company also noted that approximately 10,000 GM battery packs have been designated for second-life applications through Redwood Energy, its energy storage business.
These batteries are being evaluated for use in stationary energy storage systems that can support industrial facilities, renewable energy projects and grid infrastructure.
Building on Earlier Energy Storage Projects
The Michigan installation follows other large-scale projects involving repurposed GM batteries.
Among them is a battery storage system in Sparks, Nevada, developed by Redwood for AI infrastructure company Crusoe. Redwood has described that facility as the world’s largest battery energy storage system built using repurposed electric vehicle batteries and the largest microgrid in North America.
The companies said the projects demonstrate a circular approach to battery management, extending battery usefulness before materials are ultimately recovered and reused in future battery manufacturing.
“Together, GM and Redwood are showing how repurposed EV batteries can keep working well beyond their useful life in a vehicle — first as energy storage, and ultimately as recovered material for future batteries.”
As battery-electric vehicle adoption continues to increase, second-life battery projects are expected to play a growing role in energy storage markets while helping reduce waste and improve the sustainability of battery supply chains.