Transport innovation expert joins the Connected Energy team

“This is the perfect time to join Connected Energy,” he said. “Those OEMs who were early to market with EVs are now facing the challenge of what to do with the batteries from those first-generation vehicles. Typically, at the end of the vehicle’s life, the batteries still have up to 80% of their energy storage capabilities, so there is huge scope to repurpose them in systems like the company’s E-STOR system.”

Connected Energy, whose investors include Caterpillar and Volvo, already has a partnership with Renault for batteries from Kangoo electric vans. By repurposing batteries at the end of the life in a vehicle, the company’s battery storage technology doubles the working life of the EV batteries.

“There is a genuine circularity to our business model,” adds Alex. “For example, fleets could end up using batteries from their old EVs as energy storage in their depots, supporting the charging of their current vehicles. It’s a perfect loop.”