Jaguar Land Rover is giving a second life to I-Pace batteries for a portable zero-emission energy storage unit in partnership with Pramac. 

The Off Grid Battery Energy Storage System was tested by the Jaguar TCS Racing team in Valencia

The ‘Off Grid Battery Energy Storage System (ESS)’ features lithium-ion cells taken from the batteries in prototype and engineering I-Pace test vehicles, and is used to supply zero-emission power where access to the mains supply is limited or unavailable. 

The flagship system has a capacity of up to 125kWh – more than enough to fully charge a Jaguar I-Pace or to power a regular family home for a week – and was showcased by Jaguar TCS Racing, which used it to prepare for the 2022 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship during testing in the UK and Spain. The ESS ran the team’s diagnostic equipment analysing the race cars’ track performance, and also supplied auxiliary power to the Jaguar pit garage. 

Pramac is also making its units available for commercial hire, fitted with Type 2 charge connections with dynamic control and rated at up to 22kW AC to allow electric vehicle charging. 

An Off Grid Battery ESS will also be deployed at Jaguar Land Rover Experience Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa to help the site cope with inconsistent power delivery from the mains. 

The Off Grid ESS is the first project in Jaguar Land Rover’s plans to create new circular economy business models for its vehicle batteries. This will see the carmaker launch programmes giving second lives, and more, to its electric vehicle batteries – underscoring its commitment to net zero status by 2039. 

Ex-vehicle batteries can still be safely deployed in multiple low-energy situations once their health falls below EV requirements; data from Mckinsey reveals second-life battery supply for stationary applications, such as renewable energy storage, could exceed 200 gigawatt-hours per year by 2030, creating a global value over $30bn (£23bn). 

Andrew Whitworth, battery manager, circular economy team at Jaguar Land Rover, said: “This announcement is a great example of how we will collaborate with industry leaders to deliver our sustainable future and achieve a truly circular economy. We’re delighted to be working with Pramac to use Jaguar I-Pace second-life batteries to provide portable zero-emissions power and supporting Jaguar TCS Racing this season was an excellent opportunity to demonstrate what these units are capable of.” 

Danny Jones, director, Pramac, added: “We look forward to continuing the journey with Jaguar Land Rover and providing innovative charging infrastructure solutions to support the electrification of their class-leading vehicles.”