JLR Develops Portable BESS Using Second-Life Range Rover

JLR Develops Portable BESS Using Second-Life Range Rover

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) partnered with energy storage start-up, Allye Energy, to create Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). A single Allye MAX BESS holds seven second-life Range Rover and Range Rover Sport PHEV battery packs that can be simply removed from the vehicles and slotted into customized racks, without unnecessary additional processing. Each BESS can store 270kWh of energy at full capacity, enough to power the average UK household for nearly a month*.

Allye is a DeepTech start-up developing distributed energy storage at the grid edge, putting batteries at the final step, feeding electricity directly to the consumer. The BESS, claims to be the first to use JLR’s second life Range Rover batteries, can charge up to nine Range Rover PHEVs at any one time. It’s designed to be easily charged by simply plugging it into any CCS-capable vehicle charger using the same input as JLR’s existing PHEV and BEV product portfolio. In addition, multi-input connectivity via powerlock connections enable it to be connected to renewable power at fixed or off-grid sites.

JLR has developed a new portable Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) using second-life Range Rover and Range Rover Sport PHEV batteries

The MAX BESS can be used to replace diesel generators, which historically relied on by the automotive industry, to power off-grid vehicle launches, events and vehicle tests in remote areas. JLR’s engineering team claims to be the first to utilize the new BESS, providing zero emissions power during testing of the new Range Rover Electric, due to launch later this year.

The average diesel generator would use 16L of fuel per hour, equivalent to a daily total of 129.12kg of CO2 for three hours’ usage. JLR’s Engineering team will use the BESS to power over 1000 hours of testing, saving more than 15,494kg of CO2 during the course of a year – equivalent to one passenger taking seven round-trip flights from London to New York.

The versatile BESS weighs less than 3.5 tones, allowing it to be fully portable or stationary, to provide energy storage for retailers or JLR sites. This would help JLR’s network of over 3000 retailers better leverage renewable energy such as solar and act as energy buffers to support fast charging where the local grid connection may be restricted. The unit will also be commercially available for use outside of JLR.

As part of its Reimagine strategy, JLR is investing £15bn into electrification by building a comprehensive EV ecosystem. This includes considering the full lifecycle of EV batteries, one of the new circular business models JLR is exploring in energy storage and beyond.

One example of how the BESS is being used practically in the development of Range Rover Electric through prolonged endurance testing at remote off-road sites with low power connections, which would only enable a slow charge. The engineers can top up the BESS from a low power supply during testing and then transfer the power to the Range Rover Electric via fast charging from the BESS, which is quicker than directly charging the vehicle from the supply.

This allows the testing to be completed in a much quicker time frame than would normally be possible. The battery value chains are predicted to grow 30 percent annually from 2022 to 2030, to reach a value of more than $400 billion. Second-life battery supply for stationary applications is predicted to exceed 200 gigawatt-hours per year by 2030, creating a global value over $30 billion.

Engineered to the highest standards, JLR’s batteries can be safely deployed in low-energy situations once their health falls below electric vehicle requirements, which typically leaves a 70-80% residual capacity. Following these second-life use cases, JLR will recycle the batteries so that raw materials can be recovered for re-use as part of a true circular economy. The initiative builds on the previously announced collaboration with Wykes Engineering Ltd, where second-life Jaguar I-PACE batteries are being utilised in one of the largest energy storage systems in the UK, helping to balance the Grid at a renewable energy park in Chelveston, Northamptonshire; the BESS built by Allye marks the first time JLR has reused full Range Rover PHEV batteries for use in energy storage systems, a precursor to Range Rover BEV batteries, which have the same module structure.

Previous Collaborations

Last year, Marquee auto major Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) joined hands with Wykes Engineering Ltd, a firm that delves in the renewable energy sector, to make a new renewable energy storage system from used car batteries. The British multinational automobile manufacturer, through this partnership, will make among largest energy storage systems in the UK. This will be achieved by exploiting solar and wind power with the employment of second-life Jaguar I-PACE batteries.

A Wykes Engineering Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) makes use of 30 second life I-PACE batteries. It is capable of storing up to 2.5 MWh of energy at full capacity. JLR has set sights on providing ample batteries to enable the storage of 7.5 MWh of energy cumulatively. This will be sufficient to supply power to 750 homes for a day by the conclusion of 2023. Following this, additional containers can be created for adding second-life batteries that are removed from used production vehicles in the future.

Similarly, Marquee auto major Jaguar Land Rover’s engineering team have worked with Pramac to develop a zero-emission energy storage unit powered by second-life Jaguar I-PACE batteries, taken from prototype and engineering test vehicles. Making better use of second life batteries has been a priority for both auto firms, and researchers, to defer the need to send the battery for recycling too early. Stationary storage uses have emerged as a key opportunity. These new announcements and collaboration with new partners indicates that older announcements have not progressed.