October 4, 2026.
Michigan is expanding efforts to reuse and recycle electric vehicle batteries as the first generations of electric vehicles begin reaching the end of their useful service lives.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) said September 29 that electric vehicle batteries can remain valuable even after they are no longer suitable for powering a vehicle. Through its NextCycle Michigan initiative, the state is supporting companies developing systems to test, reuse, repurpose and ultimately recycle the batteries.
Batteries may have years of useful life remaining.
EV batteries generally last longer than the original warranties attached to many vehicles. EGLE said many batteries are now expected to last roughly 12 to 15 years, with some potentially lasting up to 20 years.
When a battery is retired from vehicle service, it does not necessarily mean the battery is unusable. EGLE reports that batteries can retain approximately 80% of their original charge capacity and may be suitable for other applications, including stationary energy storage.
Materials inside the batteries—including lithium, cobalt and nickel—can also be recovered and used in the production of new batteries. Recycling these materials could reduce some demand for newly mined resources and strengthen domestic battery supply chains. EGLE cites projections that recycled batteries could provide significant portions of future global demand for cobalt, nickel and lithium.
Safety remains a major challenge.
Recycling EV batteries is considerably more complicated than recycling many conventional materials.
Battery packs differ in their designs, sizes and chemical compositions. Even batteries that have been removed from vehicles can retain electrical energy, creating fire and other safety hazards if they are improperly handled.
That makes testing and sorting an important first step. Batteries that still have useful capacity can potentially be directed toward a second use rather than immediately being dismantled for materials recovery. Batteries that have reached the end of their useful life can then move into recycling processes.
River Rouge company expands battery operations.
One Michigan company highlighted by EGLE is Great Lakes Recycling (GLR), a family-owned company in River Rouge that has shifted from traditional ferrous-metal recycling toward electronics and EV battery recycling.
GLR moved into a 60,000-square-foot facility in September 2025, quadrupling its previous space. The company reports that it can process between 100 and 150 battery packs per day using specialized safety procedures.
The company weighs, tags and categorizes incoming batteries and electronically records the material. Batteries considered questionable are isolated in shipping containers while approved batteries move through the facility. Temperature monitoring can trigger alerts and notify the local fire department if conditions become unsafe.
GLR is also pursuing UL 1974 certification, which would allow it to certify batteries for reuse. The company says some battery packs arriving for recycling may still be functional, with relatively minor problems preventing their use in vehicles.
From electric cars to energy storage.
EGLE also highlighted a partnership between GLR and Volt Harbor, an Ann Arbor-based company developing energy-storage systems using retired EV batteries.
Under the proposed supply chain, GLR would evaluate and test used batteries while Volt Harbor would conduct additional testing and incorporate suitable batteries into energy-storage systems.
Those systems could have applications ranging from portable power to commercial and industrial energy storage and grid-support applications.
Volt Harbor's work builds on research originating at the University of Michigan involving ways to reuse retired EV batteries without requiring expensive equipment to balance different battery modules.
Other Michigan companies are developing recycling technology.
ReCharge Recycling is another NextCycle Michigan participant working to extend battery life before recycling. The company says approximately 90% to 95% of the batteries it receives retain usable capacity, although that figure is based on the company's own experience rather than a statewide measurement.
ReCharge is working with the University of Michigan-Dearborn on technology intended to reduce battery testing time from several hours to only minutes. Faster testing could allow more batteries to be evaluated and potentially diverted to second-life applications.
Michigan has also previously supported companies including VMX International and Veolectra through NextCycle Michigan. Their projects have included battery refurbishment, materials recovery and portable energy-storage systems.
A broader battery-recycling effort.
The EV work is part of a larger effort by EGLE to develop a more comprehensive battery-management system in Michigan.
The state's Battery Circularity Program covers EV batteries as well as consumer batteries. Its goals include improving collection and recycling systems, identifying infrastructure gaps, developing a statewide roadmap and exploring funding and policy options.
The effort comes as Michigan confronts a broader battery-disposal problem. An EGLE analysis released earlier this year found that more than 10,000 tons of batteries enter Michigan landfills annually, while residents face inconsistent information and limited access to collection locations. The state has specifically warned that rechargeable and lithium-ion batteries should not be placed in curbside recycling or trash because they can cause fires during collection and processing.
For Michigan, the emerging EV-battery industry represents both an environmental challenge and an economic opportunity. The state is attempting to build a system in which batteries are tested first for reuse, repurposed when possible, and recycled for valuable materials only when they have reached the end of their useful life.
That approach could keep more materials in circulation while creating new businesses, supply chains and specialized jobs around battery recovery in a state with a long history in automotive manufacturing.
