JSW MG Motors India announced its major collaboration with Vision Mechatronics on Friday for the large-scale repurposing of used electric vehicle (EV) batteries for second-life applications in energy storage. Under this collaboration, a homegrown battery management system is being developed to allow the batteries to be used in their second life.
This project will begin with the creation of a UPS power backup system. The prototype has already been implemented in an industrial facility in Pune and has proven feasible for salvaged EV batteries.
JSW MG Motor India will supply used EV batteries that are no longer roadworthy. Vision Mechatronics will transform these into effective large-scale energy storage systems.
JSW MG Motor India’s Chief Growth Officer, Gaurav Gupta, said that the project is “pretty innovative.” “With Vision Mechatronics, we have designed a 36-kilowatt UPS that is well-suited for industrial markets. The product uses cells from batteries that are no longer needed by the car, demonstrating that battery life extends beyond its first application,” Gupta told PTI in an interview. According to Gupta, the second-life battery, equipped with an indigenous BMS, puts the company in a position of future readiness.
This project will help small and medium enterprises receive economical and sustainable energy storage solutions. Gupta noted that it is the company’s third pilot project, following collaborations with IIT Delhi and Batx for an off-grid charging station, and its second project: a 5kWh BESS for a school in Nainital with Lohum and Teri.
Both projects fall under JSW MG Motor India’s ‘Project Revive’, which aims to introduce new means of reusing EV batteries.
Rashi Gupta, Managing Director of Vision Mechatronics, disclosed a range of applications for the repurposed batteries: “While we are currently focusing on UPS systems, which present an immediate opportunity, we expect to expand into other applications, such as replacing diesel generators or backup power systems, within six months.”
This collaboration underlines the growing trend toward sustainability in both the automotive and energy sectors, emphasizing the importance of maximizing the utility of EV batteries after their initial use.
