Jaguar EV batteries to get second life as energy storage units

Jaguar has announced a partnership with tech firm Pramac to develop a new energy storage unit that makes use of recycled lithium-ion cells from ‘second life’ electric car batteries sourced from used Jaguar I-Paces.

The partnership has resulted in a new product called the Mobile Battery Energy Storage System, or ESS, which Jaguar’s ABB FIA Formula E squad (including Kiwi race driver Mitch Evans) has already used in real-world applications.

The unit can be used to supply “zero-emission power where access to the mains supply is limited or unavailable”, making it a potentially useful tool during power outages or during environmental disasters.

“The innovation demonstrated by Jaguar engineers to reuse I-Pace batteries and provide portable zero-emissions power for the Jaguar Racing team is a showcase of Jaguar’s steady yet, perfectly executed journey to deliver the best in vehicle electrification and reimagine the future of sustainable performance,” says Jaguar Land Rover New Zealand chief executive Steve Kenchington.

The ESS makes use of the lithium-ion cells from 1.5 used Jaguar I-Pace batteries, which are charged via solar panels. It has a capacity of up to 125kWh, which Jaguar notes is enough to charge an I-Pace to full or power a home for a week.

The self-contained units also have a use in the world of motorsport. The Jaguar Formula E team used an ESS unit at its pre-season testing in Spain and the UK to power its diagnostic equipment and to supply auxiliary power to the rest of the garage.

The announcement is part of a wider push for more recycling solutions for EV batteries that have reached end-of-life status. In recent times, more of these solutions are coming directly from the manufacturers themselves.  

In its release, Jaguar notes a concern for “premature recycling”, stating that incentives like the ESS show that EV batteries can have a life well beyond the vehicles they’re initially produced for.  

The ESS is set to be offered to consumers for hire in the coming future. Each gets a Type 2 connection and will be rated to 22kW AC to allow them to charge EVs.