Giving retired I-Pace batteries a second life: Jaguar Land Rover’s innovative energy solution

Harnessing the power of second-life Jaguar I-PACE batteries, this innovative project contributes to decarbonising the grid and underscores the circular economy principles central to JLR’s sustainability strategy.

Amid the ongoing discussions surrounding the environmental impact of electric vehicle manufacturing, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has embarked on an innovative initiative that showcases the potential of retired electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

At the heart of this endeavour, lies in the creation of a battery energy storage system (BESS), expertly crafted by Wykes Engineering. Each BESS utilises 30 second-life I-PACE batteries, collectively boasting a capacity of up to 2.5MWh. These batteries are sourced from prototype and engineering test vehicles.

The ambition is to provide enough batteries to achieve a total energy storage capacity of 7.5MWh by the end of 2023, equivalent to powering 750 homes for a day. This venture opens the door to the creation of additional containers, housing retired batteries from production vehicles in the future.

These BESS units not only store energy but actively participate in grid management. During peak hours, they can supply power to the national grid, while during off-peak times they draw energy from the grid for future use. Such systems are pivotal in decarbonising the grid by responding to rapid demand fluctuations and optimising the utilisation of solar and wind energy.

An impressive aspect of this collaboration is the seamless integration achieved between Wykes Engineering and JLR. No additional manufacturing steps or battery module removal is required. The batteries are extracted from the Jaguar I-PACE vehicles and placed into containers on-site, maximising the project’s sustainability quotient.

JLR’s involvement in this venture exemplifies its embrace of circular economy principles and commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2039. Reusing second-life batteries for stationary applications, particularly renewable energy storage, has the potential to exceed 200 gigawatt-hours annually by 2030, translating to a global value exceeding $30b. JLR’s high-standard batteries, which retain approximately 70-80% residual capacity after their electric vehicle usage, can find new life in various energy applications before eventual recycling, fitting seamlessly into a true circular economy model.

Source: MotorPress