Redwood Materials and General Motors have expanded their collaboration to include deployment of second-life EV batteries as on-site energy storage at a Michigan manufacturing facility. Under the agreement, approximately 100 repurposed GM battery packs will deliver up to 1.5 MW of capacity and 7.2 MWh of dispatchable energy to the plant, with projected savings exceeding $3 million in electricity costs over the system’s lifetime.
This initiative marks GM as the first automaker to partner with Redwood throughout the entire battery lifecycle—from recovering materials in manufacturing scrap, to recycling end-of-life EV packs, and now repurposing those packs for real-world energy infrastructure. After serving in vehicles, retired GM battery modules will be integrated into grid-connected storage systems, extending their useful life before final recycling.
Redwood Materials already processes scrap from Ultium Cells, GM’s joint battery cell venture with LG Energy Solution, at its U.S. recycling facilities. When EV packs reach end of life, they are directed either toward refurbishment into energy storage systems or toward material recovery for new batteries. To date, Redwood has recycled more than 28,000 metric tons of material from GM and Ultium Cells, and it plans to repurpose an additional 10,000 EV packs through its energy division.
Repurposed GM modules are already in service. They form part of the largest second-life battery energy storage system in the world, installed in Sparks, Nevada, which also stands as North America’s largest microgrid supporting AI data center operations. The Michigan deployment follows a recent installation at Rivian’s Illinois manufacturing site, demonstrating a growing portfolio of domestic storage projects using GM cells.
By integrating battery reuse and recycling into U.S. energy infrastructure, GM and Redwood aim to strengthen supply chain resilience, retain critical minerals domestically, and reduce costs for both manufacturers and utilities. The partnership showcases how EV batteries can deliver long-term value across transport, manufacturing, and grid applications.
Source: Redwood Materials
