Alphabet-owned autonomous driving technology company Waymo and energy storage developer B2U Storage Solutions announced a new partnership to repurpose retired electric vehicle (EV) batteries from Waymo’s fleet into battery energy storage systems (BESS).
EV batteries are often the longest-lasting component of a vehicle, designed to operate for hundreds of thousands of miles and, in many cases, remain functional even after a vehicle reaches end-of-life, making them well-suited for stationary energy storage applications.
Founded in 2016, Waymo develops self-driving technology and operates commercial robotaxi services that enable passengers to travel without human intervention. The company operates a fully autonomous, all-electric robotaxi fleet.
Under the new partnership, batteries retired from Waymo’s EV fleet will be repurposed using B2U’s technology into stationary battery energy storage systems, capturing residual value that would otherwise be lost through direct recycling. B2U will manage the batteries throughout their second life and ensure they are properly recycled once their remaining value has been fully realized. The companies said that the approach maximizes battery utilization by providing affordable, bankable alternatives to energy storage systems built with newly manufactured battery materials.
The first deployment under the new partnership will be focused on Texas and California.
Adam Lenz, Head of Sustainability & Environment at Waymo said:
“Our shared fleet of EVs provide a massive opportunity to support the growth of clean energy on the electricity grid while expanding the circular economy. Through this partnership, we can repurpose our batteries for local grid storage and ensure our batteries continue to provide economic and environmental value to the community long after they’ve retired from the road.”
According to B2U, the systems provide a safe, cost-effective, and circular solution for grid-scale energy storage projects, leveraging a dependable domestic supply of retired EV batteries.
Freeman Hall, CEO of B2U Storage Solutions said:
“This agreement marks a significant milestone in B2U’s mission to provide integrated repurposing services to the automotive industry. By extending the use of these batteries as grid storage, we are monetizing the full potential of EV batteries, now providing crucial stability to the power grid as energy demand continues to grow.”
