Second life for electric vehicle batteries

The energy transition is well underway, especially in the European Union. More and more areas of our daily live are getting electrified. But what happens to e-car batteries after their lifetime? This question is going to be answered by creative ideas from startups with a clear vision.

The startup betteries has a clear mission: "Upcycling all electric vehicle batteries into affordable power systems to avert climate change and protect valuable resources."

The company manages all aspects of the battery lifecycle and has expertise in design for upcycling & repair, battery management and power electronics as well as validation and certification, predictive maintenance and battery recycling.

A wide range of fully certified second life power solutions based on electric vehicle (EV) batteries provides sustainable alternatives to fuel-based generators and propulsion systems, mitigates climate change, creates economic opportunities and improves quality of life.

The impact is cumulative: With each fuel-based generator or propulsion system replaced, betteries boosts the circular economy by providing valuable second life applications for EV batteries whilst replacing carbon intensive technologies.

Connected to the cloud, the system offers smart battery monitoring and prediction functionalities to ensure the best performance and system life.

A mobile battery solution needs to offer easy and adaptable handling to ensure high flexibility for a broad range of applications. Therefore, the ability to stack battery modules to modify the capacity was a mandatory requirement during the development of the system.

The challenge for betteries was finding a way to securely connect and disconnect batteries without special tools or additional cabling. After first discussions it became apparent that a docking solution for "blind mating" would be the best method of connecting the batteries, ensuring data transmission for the battery monitoring within a single interface.

The docking frame chosen is suitable for countless different arrangements of Han-Modular® connector modules, drawn from a product range of around 150 modules which can transmit different media from power, signal, data up to compressed air. A floating side of the docking frame as well as guiding elements provide the necessary flexibility and safety during the plugging process. Finger-protected contacts ensure safety.