MG Motor India partners with Exicom to re-use MG ZS EV batteries

Team OD Updated: February 05, 2020, 01:16 PM IST

MG Motor India has partnered with Exicom Tele-Systems through which the latter will take the batteries from the upcoming MG ZS EV that have reached the end of their serviceable life and rework them for other applications. This will involve putting the depleted batteries through a controlled evaluation process, dissembling it and then repackaging it to design custom battery packs for non-automotive applications.

Speaking on the tie-up, Rajeev Chaba, president and MD of MG Motor India, said, "Over the past few months, we have worked towards creating the right ecosystem for our customers ahead of the launch of the ZS EV, including charging infrastructure and busting common myths around EVs. Another question which people have is 'What happens to the EV battery after the product lifecycle ends. Our latest partnership focuses on second-life applications for used EV battery packs, to ensure environment-friendly battery disposal will only serve to bolster the country's progress towards this critical objective."

These battery packs will be used in applications such as home inverters, commercial and industrial UPS, and renewable energy storage, instead of ending up in landfills. The project is aimed at dispelling concerns over the safe disposal of EV batteries, and also towards making the best use of the limited natural resources available to us.

The MG ZS EV is set to be unveiled in India on December 5, ahead of a launch in January 2020. MG claims that the ZS EV will be a global offering and will have a driving range of 350km in one single charge. The MG ZS EV could be powered by a 52.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack. A full charge could take eight hours from a wall charger. MG has also tied up with other tech firms like Fortum to install 50kW CCS/CHAdeMO DC fast-charging stations across MG's showrooms in five cities including Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. aside from the obvious synergies, these collaborations are also aimed at helping Indian tech firms grow their businesses.

Exicom has been present in power electronics and energy systems market for over two decades. The firm has experience in Li-ion batteries, EV chargers and grid-connected devices