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Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) today announced more than $9.7 million in federal funding for three different projects in Ann Arbor. These funds from the Energy Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) will go to Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America and University of Michigan for research to extend electric vehicle (EV) battery life and reduce waste, strengthening the domestic battery supply chain.  

“This funding will allow us to pursue research aimed at extending the lifespan of EV batteries, improving manufacturing and assembly processes, and developing proactive maintenance strategies,” said Dingell. “By optimizing both the process and the product, we can minimize waste, increase efficiency, and continue to make electric vehicles more available and accessible to consumers. I am proud that Michigan remains at the forefront of research and innovation, shaping the future of the auto industry.” 

Details of the projects are below. 

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America   

• ARPA-E Funding: $4,502,196  
• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan  
• Project Title: Development of an Autonomous Robotic Disassembly Process for Applications in Battery Pack Circularity  
• Project Descriptions: CIRCULAR Project Descriptions | arpa-e.energy.gov  

 University of Michigan  

• ARPA-E Funding: $2,680,000  
• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan  
• Project Title: Rapid State of Health Diagnosis by Model-Enabled Pulse Form Sequence  
• Project Descriptions: CIRCULAR Project Descriptions | arpa-e.energy.gov 

University of Michigan  

• ARPA-E Funding: $2,540,027 
• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan  
• Project Title: Multi-Material Direct Joining and Un-Joining for Easy EV Battery Cell-to-Module/Pack Assembly and Disassembly for Maximal Circularity  
• Project Descriptions: CIRCULAR Project Descriptions | arpa-e.energy.gov