BESS Recycler B2U Secures Retired Waymo EV Batteries to Boost Stationary Energy Storage
B2U Storage Solutions is partnering with autonomous driving tech company Waymo to scale a “second life” sustainable pipeline for thousands of electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
The companies announced this agreement Thursday to create a supply of recyclable batteries from Waymo’s fleet of EVs once retired from automotive use. These battery packs will be installed into stationary battery energy storage systems (BESS) to support electric grid infrastructure in key Waymo operational markets ranging from California to Texas.
From the road to the grid, B2U and Waymo aim to address electronic waste through this pipeline that would otherwise be lost in direct recycling methods. Used recyclable EV batteries still maintain 70-80% of their charge life—available for stationary energy storage.
"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,” said B2U Storage Solution CEO Freeman Hall in a statement.
This approach, the companies claim, maximizes the utility of these batteries as affordable alternatives compared to batteries built from new materials. The functional life of these lithium-ion batteries is extended by several years as a result.
B2U states that they typically get EV batteries with 80% state of health remaining. This means they can operate them in the BESS use case for many more years at this lower state of health than what would be required for EV operation due to a more demanding charge/discharge cycle.
For stationary energy storage, B2U explains that these batteries' charge and discharge cycles would function at a lower current over a slower period. This reduces stress on the batteries for extended use and offers more economic and environmental benefits than simply recycling.
Once deployed as stationary BESS networks, the companies will work to capture excess renewable energy during periods of low demand and dispatch it during peak usage times. Capturing that energy capacity can be vital to the power grid and the local community as a whole.
“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,” explained Adam Lenz, head of sustainability & environment at Waymo.
Currently, Waymo delivers over 500,000 fully autonomous (no human driver) trips weekly across 10 cities to expand public access to shared electric mobility under its next-gen "Ojai" robotaxis. Those locations include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, Texas.
B2U manufactures and operates BESS under patent-pending tech as part of its domestic battery supply repurposing initiative.
