Can electric motors become truly circular? Lessons from recycling, repurposing and refurbishment

The electrification of industry is increasing demand for permanent magnets and critical raw materials. 

At the same time, manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce material consumption, improve resource efficiency and strengthen supply-chain resilience. One promising approach is to keep materials and components in use for as long as possible through recycling, repurposing and refurbishment. Within the REMHub project, these circular pathways were investigated and validated for electric motors and permanent magnets.

Recycling Magnets Without Compromising Performance

One of the most encouraging results came from motors equipped with magnets produced entirely from recycled magnetic scrap. The recycled magnets achieved the target magnetic-property specifications and motor testing showed performance in line with conventional solutions. Measurements even indicated a slight efficiency improvement at higher torque operating points. These findings suggest that recycled magnets could become a realistic substitute for primary rare-earth materials in selected applications.

However, industrial adoption will require more than successful laboratory validation. Consistent material quality, long-term reliability and secure supply chains will be essential before recycled magnets can be deployed at larger scale.

Repurposing Magnets from End-of-Life Products

Another route explored in REMHub was the direct recovery and reuse of magnets extracted from end-of-life products. The recovered magnets were successfully processed and reused, demonstrating that valuable magnetic materials can remain in circulation rather than becoming waste.

A key technical challenge was the large variation in magnetic properties between individual recovered magnets. Simulations and validation activities showed that such variability can influence machine behaviour, potentially affecting torque ripple, harmonic content, losses and thermal loading. The work therefore highlighted the need for robust characterization, grading and qualification procedures before recovered magnets can be integrated into new products.

The results also reinforce the importance of traceability and digital passport concepts, which could help track magnet history, material quality and suitability for future reuse.

Refurbishment Extends Service Life

Circularity is not limited to material recovery. In many cases, existing components can continue operating long after their initial service period. Validation of motors returned from field operation showed no significant difference in performance compared with the reference motor, and no irreversible degradation of the magnets was observed in the evaluated rotors.

These findings support the development of refurbishment and reuse strategies that can extend product lifetime, reduce the demand for newly produced magnets and create new opportunities for repair and aftermarket services. At the same time, each rotor must still be individually inspected and qualified, making quality assurance a critical part of any refurbishment process.

A Circular Future for Electric Motors

The REMHub results demonstrate that multiple pathways exist for reducing dependence on primary rare-earth materials. Recycling offers a strong route for material recovery, repurposing helps unlock value from end-of-life products, and refurbishment can significantly extend service life. Combined with digital traceability tools and next-generation motor designs, these approaches could help establish more sustainable and resilient electric-motor value chains in the future.

Funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.