Volvo Buses, the focus on reuse of bus batteries. A cooperation with Batteryloop

Volvo Buses cooperates with Batteryloop (subsidiary of Stena Recycling) with the goal of reuse the bus batteries as energy storage units after they are removed from Volvo’s buses. For instance, applications can be in buildings and charging stations.

The new recently signed agreement focused at the second life of bus batteries has a global reach. It covers all the batteries for which Volvo Buses is responsible in its electric buses the world over. To date most of these buses are to be found in Europe, but the number of electrified buses is expected to increase in other parts of the world too, the manufacturers says.

Reuse of bus batteries in the spotlight

Batteryloop and Volvo Buses have already previously been involved in a joint project with Stena Fastigheter, whereby bus batteries are used as energy storage units to provide electricity to the Fyrklövern residential area in Gothenburg. The electricity that is stored in these units comes from solar panels fitted to the apartment buildings’ rooftops. That project, announced in late 2019, followed a first pilot also in Gothenburg.

Bus batteries are used for many years in regular traffic before they need to be replaced. However, when new batteries are fitted to the vehicle, the old ones still have considerable capacity left to offer. This capacity is too limited to efficiently propel a bus, but it is more than sufficient for static use for energy storage purposes, Volvo Buses points out. Repurposing the batteries means that natural resources can be conserved since it is not necessary to use new batteries for energy storage.

Reuse of batteries, a sustainable circular solution

“Volvo Buses is one of the pioneers in electromobility which provides clean, quiet and efficient public transport. We have a clear-cut sustainability strategy at every single stage of our value chain, and we are now taking yet another step forward through planned, consistent reuse of bus batteries. In our electromobility operation we are thus creating a new circular business cycle and this cooperation is truly a major step in the right direction,” says Håkan Agnevall, President of Volvo Buses.

“We are delighted and proud that Batteryloop has the opportunity to buy the used batteries and develop this solution together with Volvo Buses. In addition to reuse, under the agreement we also guarantee safe and environmentally suitable recycling when the batteries come to the end of their second life as energy storage units. We thus offer a sustainable circular solution for Volvo Buses batteries. What is more, this cooperation means we can convert a cost into a source of revenue for the customer,” says Rasmus Bergström, President of Batteryloop.

“An energy storage unit is like a large power bank that gives the user considerable flexibility and can help generate income. We see that there is a fast-growing market in different kinds of properties, and also for charging stations for electric vehicles both in industry and in society. Our cooperation with Volvo Buses will provide a valuable contribution to development of the infrastructure that needs to be built up,” comments Rasmus Bergström.