BMW Group Malaysia unveiled its Mobile Charging Vehicle at the Malaysia Autoshow 2023. Being the first-of-its-kind, BMW Group Malaysia has developed the Mobile Charging Vehicle in partnership with EV Connection.
The batteries in the vehicle are essentially made of EV batteries used by BMW and Mini EVs. Instead of putting the used batteries to waste, BMW has repurposed them and given them a new lease of life.
The prototype Mobile Charging Vehicle operates on 16 units of repurposed BMW battery modules. These battery modules all have a State of Health (SoH) of approximately 70%, which makes them more than sufficient for providing power. The designed system also has a capacity of 20 kWh and is capable of providing up to 30 kVA three-phase AC power on demand.
BMW Group Malaysia Head of Corporate Communications and Sustainability, Sashi Ambi said, “The repurposing of these end-of-life batteries from our electrified vehicles essentially places them back into the loop to continue serving the EV ecosystem after they have completed their lifecycle in our vehicles. The closing of this loop recognises the significant value of the precious metals that are in our batteries, which are finite resources on this planet, and prolongs their use as much as possible before they are eventually retired.”
Ambi also added, “Our partnership with EV Connection addresses the crucial role we play as leaders in the field of electromobility to not only develop the EV landscape but to do so in a way that is both circular and responsible.”
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The Mobile Charging Vehicle is part of BMW Group Malaysia’s second-life battery programme and RE:GENERATE initiative. It is developed to adopt circularity within the organisation, as the company aims to divert all retired BMW EV batteries to further expand on their electrification possibilities.
These opportunities include providing high-voltage solutions, such as acting as an urban charging hub and roving generators to power communities in disaster zones. BMW Group Malaysia also aim to help enable rural electrification in the future as well.
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