Synetiq, the UK's largest vehicle salvage company has partnered with Allye Energy to provide salvaged electric vehicle battery packs for the startup to use for energy storage systems, the two companies said on Monday.
Allye will test and buy EV packs from Synetiq, a unit of IAA and part of Canada's RB Global
(RBA.TO) group, to use in its 300 kilowatt hour (kWh) battery storage system - each one uses four salvaged EV battery packs - which is enough to power a factory or 50 homes for a day. Allye will lease those packs to customers.
At last somebody in the UK is going to recycle some of the battery packs
"At the moment, these battery packs are sat around in containers, unloved and unwanted," Allye CEO Jonathan Carrier told Reuters. "We're trying to change that."
Lacking access to data to assess EV battery pack damage after accidents, insurers have been forced to write off
low-mileage electric cars.
As the EV battery recycling industry is in
its infancy outside China, salvage companies such as Synetiq have had to house a growing number of salvaged EV battery packs in containers.
In 2022 there were an estimated 40,000 nearly new battery packs from salvaged EVs. That number will grow as EV sales rise.
Reusing entire EV battery packs "will address a key challenge in our industry," Synetiq CEO Tom Rumboll said in a statement.
Using existing battery packs cuts CO2 emissions for the storage systems by 60% versus new ones and can cut customers' energy bills 50% by taking energy from the grid during off-peak hours for use during peak demand, Allye's Carrier said.
As it ramps up, Allye hopes to use 5,000 packs a year in the UK and to expand to other markets, he added.
British Telecom previewed a plan to turn cabinets for phone wires into
EV charging stations.
Don’t you want a talking car? |
|
|
Sure enough, automakers are using this week’s CES technology mega-conference to promote their plans to integrate emerging artificial intelligence technology into future cars.
Volkswagen said it is developing a voice command system using OpenAI’s ChatGPT and is aiming for a mid-year launch. Mercedes previewed an AI-enabled “dialogue partner.”
AI chipmaker Nvidia showcased partnerships with four Chinese automakers that will use Nvidia technology to power automated driving and advanced infotainment. There will be more talk of AI and super-powered chips for cars at CES.
But let’s take a deep breath…..
Connected car revenue dreams |
|
|
Separate studies released in conjunction with the CES show contain warnings for automakers dreaming of big revenues from new “connected car” technology, including AI.
Salesforce, the enterprise software company, concluded from a survey of 2,000 consumers that 65% of drivers don’t know what a “connected car” is. Two-thirds said they don’t have or don’t use connected car features already in their vehicles.
Most importantly, Salesforce found that only 25% of drivers surveyed said “they were willing to pay more for electric or hybrid vehicles, and just 9% would pay more for in-car apps, games, and videos.”
Consulting firm Deloitte had a similar message of caution for automakers counting on connected services revenue to offset losses on EVs.
“While interest in connectivity grows, only 25% of U.S. consumers surveyed are willing to pay extra for connected services as many in established markets have come to expect the introduction of new features as a way for brands to differentiate themselves in the market,” Deloitte found.
Consumers are willing to trade personal information for better route guidance or timely alerts to schedule maintenance, Deloitte’s automotive research leader Ryan Robinson said.
But most aren’t willing to pay extra for those services – especially features such as route guidance that are already available for free via a smartphone app, he said.
Convincing customers to hand over money for digital service subscriptions “is one of the biggest challenges the automakers and captive finance arms face over the next three to five years,” Robinson said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
