ReDriveS

Project Updates

Kickoff at Schaeffler in Herzogenaurach

The ReDriveS research project ("Automated and digitized circular economy solutions for electric axle drive systems") is entering the implementation phase.

Comprising 25 funded partners from industry, small and medium-sized enterprises, and academia—supplemented by associated partners from research and business—ReDriveS is one of the national flagship projects in the BMWE’s “DNA of Sustainable Mobility—Digital, Sustainable, System-Capable” program. ReDriveS has a project volume of more than €25 million with over €16 million in total funding. The project aims to develop economically viable and environmentally beneficial circular economy solutions for electric axle drives. Through automated disassembly processes, innovative recycling methods for rare-earth magnets, and the use of digital twins, cross-industry foundations for sustainable electromobility are being established.

ReDriveS addresses three key themes of the mobility transition: digitalization, sustainability, and system capability. The focus is on:

• the development of automated, robot-guided disassembly systems for electric axle drives,
• Recycling processes for rare earth magnets (NdFeB) and other strategic materials, as well as
• 9. The development of a digital ecosystem with digital twins for cross-vendor data sharing.

The project makes a significant contribution to the resilience of the value chain in electromobility and plays an important role in meeting future recycling quotas and reducing the carbon footprint of electric vehicles in Germany and Europe.

The project is coordinated by Schaeffler AG. It will run for 36 months and is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE). TÜV Rheinland Forschungs- und Innovationsmanagement GmbH is serving as the project management organization. For the official kickoff on January 12 and 13, 2026, over 80 participants from the consortium gathered at the Schaeffler site in Herzogenaurach to celebrate the launch of the research project. January 12 was dedicated to the official project launch: In the afternoon and evening, there were welcoming remarks by Stefan Heidemann (BMWE) and keynote speeches from the business and research sectors, as well as a presentation of the overall ReDriveS project by the consortium leader, Schaeffler. This was followed by a joint networking event that provided an opportunity for personal exchange among the project partners. On the morning of January 13, the current status and objectives of the work packages were presented. The program was rounded off by a report from the project management office and an outlook on the next steps in project implementation.

With its combination of automation, digitalization, and the circular economy, ReDriveS exemplifies the German automotive industry’s transformation toward sustainable, data-driven, and resource-efficient production systems. Upon completion, the project’s results will be translated into industrial applications and made available as an industry solution for OEMs, suppliers, and recyclers.