ReDriveS Project Positions Schaeffler at the Forefront of Sustainable Recycling Solutions for Electric Mobility

Around 80 consortium participants came together at the Schaeffler headquarters in Herzogenaurach on January 12 and 13, 2026, to celebrate the official launch of the research project. (Photo: Schaeffler)

(IN BRIEF) Schaeffler is coordinating the ReDriveS lighthouse project to develop an automated, scalable and non-destructive recycling concept for electric axle drives. Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the project combines robotic disassembly, digital twins and advanced recycling technologies to secure valuable raw materials, meet future regulatory requirements and support a sustainable circular economy in electric mobility.

(PRESS RELEASE) HERZOGENAURACH, 16-Jan-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Schaeffler is leading the ReDriveS research initiative, a national lighthouse project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, aimed at establishing a fully industrialized, automated and scalable recycling concept for electric axle drive systems. The project brings together a consortium of 25 partners from industry, small and medium-sized enterprises and academia to address one of the most pressing challenges in electric mobility: the sustainable recovery of high-value materials.

With a total project volume exceeding €25 million and public funding of more than €16 million, ReDriveS is designed to run for 36 months and to deliver a non-destructive, manufacturer-independent approach to the disassembly, reuse and recycling of electric axle drives. By combining automated robot-guided disassembly, innovative recycling technologies and comprehensive digital data usage, the project aims to significantly improve resource efficiency while ensuring compliance with future statutory recycling requirements.

At the core of ReDriveS is the development of an automated disassembly process that preserves the value of key materials such as rare earth magnets, copper, aluminum, steel and electronic components. Instead of conventional destructive methods, the project focuses on intelligent, non-destructive dismantling that enables repair, reuse of subcomponents or targeted recycling, depending on the condition of each unit. This approach is expected to create an ecologically and economically viable circular material flow for electric axle drives, an area where industrial solutions are currently lacking.

A central technological pillar of the project is the creation of a generic digital twin for electric axle drives. Linked to a demonstrator system, the digital twin will collect and process data across the entire lifecycle of an axle drive, enabling informed decisions on disassembly depth and recycling pathways. An evaluation matrix will assess component condition and geometry to derive economically optimized disassembly scenarios for robotic systems. Importantly, the digital twin is designed to be usable across manufacturers, laying the groundwork for cross-industry data sharing and new data-driven business models in electric mobility.

As a lighthouse project, ReDriveS addresses three strategic dimensions of the mobility transition: system capability, digitalization and sustainability. Beyond developing advanced recycling processes for rare earth magnets and other strategic materials, the initiative seeks to strengthen supply chain resilience, secure long-term access to critical raw materials and reduce the carbon footprint of electric vehicles in Germany and across Europe. The project’s results are intended for transfer into industrial applications, providing a scalable solution for OEMs, suppliers and recyclers as the automotive industry accelerates its transition toward a circular, data-driven future.

Schaeffler Group – We pioneer motion: The Schaeffler Group has been driving forward groundbreaking inventions and developments in the field of motion technology for over 75 years. With innovative technologies, products, and services for electric mobility, CO₂-efficient drives, chassis solutions and renewable energies, the company is a reliable partner for making motion more efficient, intelligent, and sustainable – over the entire life cycle. Schaeffler describes its comprehensive range of products and services by means of eight product families: From bearing solutions and all types of linear guidance systems through to repair and monitoring services. Schaeffler is with around 110,000 employees and more than 250 locations in 55 countries, one of the world’s largest family-owned companies and one of Germany’s most innovative companies.

Media contact:

Theresa Kronthaler
Head of Communications Division E-Mobility, Schaeffler
E-Mail: theresa.kronthaler@vitesco.com

Desiree Balk
Senior Manager Communications Division E-Mobility, Schaeffler
E-Mail: desiree.balk@vitesco.com

SOURCE: Schaeffler AG