Battery Logistics Emerges as the Backbone of America’s EV Future

Reconomy’s LiBCycle deal shows how battery collection and transport are moving from afterthought to essential infrastructure

3 Feb 2026

The push toward a cleaner energy economy is entering a more practical phase. It starts well before a battery reaches a recycling plant. As electric vehicle and energy storage batteries age out of first use, the work of collecting and moving them is stepping into the spotlight.

Reconomy’s recent acquisition of a majority stake in LiBCycle captures that shift. Through its Reverse Logistics Group platform, the company brought a specialist in lithium ion battery collection and transport into its portfolio. The deal may not carry the flash of a new factory announcement, but its strategic weight is hard to miss.

For years, battery recycling has been limited less by processing capacity than by access to material. Used batteries sit scattered across retailers, repair shops, warehouses, and local programs. Gathering them safely is complex work. It demands regulatory expertise, careful packaging, trained handlers, and dependable transport. LiBCycle built its business around solving those problems, turning a fragmented stream into a manageable flow.

By folding that capability into its broader logistics network, Reconomy is moving closer to the operational center of battery recovery. Executives frame the acquisition as preparation for what lies ahead. Battery volumes are expected to climb sharply as electric vehicles and stationary systems reach end of life. At the same time, safety rules are tightening, raising the stakes for companies that collect and ship hazardous materials.

Customers are responding. Automakers, retailers, and manufacturers are increasingly drawn to structured take back programs that reduce risk and simplify compliance. Rather than juggling multiple vendors, they want partners that can manage collection, documentation, and reporting in one system.

The deal also reflects a wider trend toward consolidation in battery services. Larger players are bundling niche expertise into integrated offerings. Analysts caution that success will depend on preserving specialist knowledge and strict safety practices as networks scale.

The broader message is one of industry maturity. The focus is shifting from experimental recycling capacity to the everyday mechanics of moving batteries from users to recyclers. In the race for a circular battery economy, logistics is no longer a side note. It is becoming the backbone.