Top Second-Life EV Battery Companies Advancing Battery Reuse and Energy Storage

1. Introduction

Overview of the Global Second-Life EV Battery Industry

The Top Companies in the Second-Life EV Battery Industry are building a circular-energy segment that extends electric-vehicle batteries beyond their original automotive duty. EV batteries commonly retain 70–80% of their original capacity when they are no longer considered optimal for demanding vehicle applications, leaving substantial usable capacity for stationary storage, renewable-energy integration, backup power, EV charging and microgrids. The available feedstock remains comparatively limited in 2026 because the mass-market EV fleet is still young, but the International Energy Agency estimates that about 1.2 million EV batteries could reach end of life in 2030, increasing to 14 million in 2040.

Second-life systems occupy an intermediate position between continued vehicle use and material recycling. A retired pack must be assessed for state of health, remaining capacity, electrical isolation, thermal behavior and safety before entering another application. The EU Battery Regulation explicitly recognizes reuse, repurposing and remanufacturing, while stationary storage is identified as a potential second use for batteries no longer suitable for their original vehicle application. Commercial deployments already range from kilowatt-hour systems for charging stations and remote facilities to projects above 30 MWh serving wholesale electricity markets. However, differences in pack architecture, degradation history, warranties and falling new-battery prices continue to limit universal adoption.

Market Evolution and Growth Drivers

The second-life battery concept has evolved from demonstration installations into regulated stationary-energy products. Nissan and Sumitomo formed 4R Energy in 2010, Connected Energy began pursuing EV battery repurposing commercially from 2013, Mercedes-Benz Energy was established in 2016, and B2U began operating its California second-life storage technology in 2020. These early deployments demonstrated that automotive packs could deliver grid balancing, solar-energy shifting and backup power for years after vehicle use. More recent installations have moved into multi-megawatt territory, including B2U's 32 MWh Sierra system and Mercedes-Benz-associated storage projects providing 29 MW of power and 31 MWh of energy.

Regulation and digitalization are becoming equally important growth drivers. From 18 February 2027, EV batteries placed on the EU market must have an electronic battery passport containing model-specific and individual battery information, including data useful to legitimate second-life operators. China's revised rules for retired new-energy-vehicle batteries took effect on 1 April 2026 and created full-lifecycle traceability covering production, sales, maintenance, replacement, dismantling and recovery. India has operated Battery Waste Management Rules since 2022, including registration for refurbishers under its centralized EPR system. These policies increase access to battery history and clarify responsibility, both of which are essential for scaling safe repurposing.

2. Top 5 Latest Trends in the Second-Life EV Battery Industry

1. Advanced battery health diagnostics and digital passports

2. Commercial expansion of grid-scale second-life BESS

3. Pack-level reuse and modular integration technologies

4. Automotive OEM partnerships and closed-loop battery networks

5. Expansion into EV charging, microgrids and distributed power applications

Trend 1: Advanced Battery Health Diagnostics and Digital Passports

Determining remaining useful life is becoming one of the most important technical functions in second-life battery deployment. Unlike new cells with standardized histories, retired EV packs may have experienced different temperatures, charging rates, mileage and depth-of-discharge patterns over 5–15 years of vehicle use. Research involving second-life batteries operated under simulated grid-storage profiles has demonstrated machine-learning state-of-health estimation with test errors below 2.3%, showing how data analytics can reduce uncertainty. The EU battery passport requirement starting in 2027 should further improve access to chemistry, performance and lifecycle data, while Volvo Energy already uses battery information and AI to assess whether retired batteries are appropriate for another application.

Trend 2: Commercial Expansion of Grid-Scale Second-Life BESS

Second-life batteries are increasingly moving beyond small demonstrations into electricity-market applications. B2U's Sierra project in California combines more than 1,300 repurposed EV batteries in a 32 MWh system, while its Bexar Corrilla project in Texas uses more than 720 battery packs in a 24 MWh installation. Connected Energy has secured a French development portfolio totaling 225 MWh, with its initial sites targeted to begin deployment from late 2026. In Germany, more than 2,000 repurposed Mercedes-Benz battery modules in Lünen and Elverlingsen provide a combined 29 MW and 31 MWh for grid services. These installations demonstrate that heterogeneous automotive batteries can participate in applications once dominated by purpose-built stationary cells.

Trend 3: Pack-Level Reuse and Modular Integration Technologies

One of the largest costs in second-life battery processing is dismantling automotive packs down to modules or cells and rebuilding them into standardized stationary architectures. B2U takes a different approach through its patented EV Pack Storage technology, which can integrate complete battery packs without extensively modifying them. Its operating projects have incorporated batteries from multiple vehicle manufacturers, while the Sierra installation alone uses over 1,300 packs. Mercedes-Benz Energy also uses modular architecture that can accommodate vehicle battery modules at different stages of their lifecycle, while its current containerized systems can scale from approximately 1.56 MWh to 6.24 MWh and to larger multi-container configurations. Reduced mechanical processing can preserve embedded components and shorten repurposing workflows when pack compatibility allows it.

Trend 4: Automotive OEM Partnerships and Closed-Loop Battery Networks

Automakers are increasingly treating used batteries as energy assets rather than waste awaiting immediate recycling. Nissan and Sumitomo established 4R Energy before the first Nissan LEAF reached customers in December 2010, while Mercedes-Benz Energy has developed stationary applications since 2016. Volvo Energy has partnered with Connected Energy to evaluate batteries removed from electric trucks, buses and machinery, and Moment Energy has maintained battery-supply relationships with automotive manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz Energy. LOHUM has also worked with MG Motor India on a 5 kWh off-grid second-life storage product and secured used modules from Mercedes-Benz Energy. These partnerships give repurposers direct access to battery specifications, state-of-health information and predictable feedstock.

Trend 5: Expansion into EV Charging, Microgrids and Distributed Power Applications

Second-life batteries are finding commercial use wherever grid capacity is limited or renewable generation must be shifted across time. BeePlanet deployed a 368 kWh second-life system at a Galp charging site in Madrid supporting 2 chargers rated at 180 kW each, allowing up to 9 vehicles to be charged consecutively with reduced direct grid demand. Moment Energy's system at God's Pocket Resort accumulated more than 1,000 operating cycles while supporting solar integration and reducing diesel dependence. In South Africa, a demonstration combined 30.6 kWh of second-life EV storage with 20 kWp of solar generation for rural electricity and e-mobility. These use cases expand second-life batteries beyond utility storage into charging hubs, resorts, industrial sites and community microgrids.

3. Top 10 Companies in the Second-Life EV Battery Industry

The following 10 companies are not presented as a strict ranking. They are selected based on verified second-life battery products, operational projects, proprietary technology, automotive partnerships, geographic presence, energy-management capabilities and direct relevance to EV battery repurposing.

1. B2U Storage Solutions

Company Overview: B2U Storage Solutions was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States. The company was spun out of Solar Electric Solutions and specializes specifically in utility-scale storage built from retired EV packs. Core Second-Life EV Battery Expertise: Its patented EV Pack Storage architecture allows complete automotive battery packs to operate in stationary storage without extensive disassembly. Major Products and Services: B2U operates the 32 MWh Sierra project with more than 1,300 packs, the 12 MWh Cuyama project with about 600 packs, and a 24 MWh Texas installation using more than 720 packs. Another 24 MWh Texas project involving 700+ EV batteries entered construction in 2026.

2. Connected Energy

Company Overview: Connected Energy was established in 2010 by Matthew Lumsden and is headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, with a technical center in Norfolk and operations extending into continental Europe. Core Second-Life EV Battery Expertise: The company has worked on second-life EV battery systems since 2013, integrating used packs with power electronics, cloud monitoring and energy-management software. Major Products and Services: Its E-STOR and newer grid-scale platforms support renewable integration, EV charging, peak management and grid services. Connected Energy has deployed more than 30 systems across the UK and Europe and has secured approximately 225 MWh of French grid-scale projects, including a 100 MWh development, with initial large projects expected from late 2026.

3. Moment Energy

Company Overview: Moment Energy was founded by 4 engineers in November 2019 and is headquartered in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. Its manufacturing footprint expanded substantially when Megafactory 1 opened in the Vancouver area in June 2026. Core Second-Life EV Battery Expertise: Moment tests, certifies and integrates retired automotive batteries into commercial and industrial BESS, and became the first North American company certified to UL 1974 in 2023 for battery repurposing. Major Products and Services: Its Luna platform can scale to approximately 10 MWh, while the company states that qualified EV batteries can gain another 10–15 years of useful stationary life. A planned Texas facility targets approximately 1 GWh of annual repurposing capacity.

4. BeePlanet Factory

Company Overview: BeePlanet Factory was founded in 2018 and is based in Orkoien, Navarra, Spain. Its broader energy-storage portfolio has expanded to more than 180 deployed projects and 80 MWh of accumulated capacity. Core Second-Life EV Battery Expertise: The company originated around repurposing automotive batteries into modular stationary-storage systems and combines battery integration with its BHive energy-management software. Major Products and Services: BeePlanet's BCube technology has been deployed in second-life configurations including a 1 MW/1.8 MWh system providing grid-related services in Spain and a 368 kWh installation supporting 360 kW of ultrafast charging at a Galp site. These projects connect reused automotive batteries to industrial, charging and electricity-market applications.

5. Mercedes-Benz Energy GmbH

Company Overview: Mercedes-Benz Energy was established in 2016 and operates from Großröhrsdorf, Germany, with approximately 100 employees listed at the location. It is a wholly owned Mercedes-Benz subsidiary specializing in stationary battery systems. Core Second-Life EV Battery Expertise: The company qualifies automotive modules for reuse, engineers stationary integration and supports grid, industrial and renewable-energy applications. Major Products and Services: More than 2,000 repurposed modules remain in service in German storage projects providing 29 MW and 31 MWh. At Rome Fiumicino Airport, Mercedes-Benz Energy supplied a second-life configuration above 5.5 MWh. Its modular commercial BESS architecture offers approximately 1.56 MWh per container and can scale above 100 MWh using multiple systems.

6. 4R Energy Corporation

Company Overview: 4R Energy was established on 14 September 2010 as a Nissan and Sumitomo Corporation venture and is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. Its dedicated Namie operation in Fukushima opened in March 2018 for EV battery evaluation, remanufacturing and reuse. Core Second-Life EV Battery Expertise: The company grades Nissan EV batteries and routes suitable packs into vehicles, stationary storage and smaller electrical applications. Major Products and Services: Projects include large storage for renewable generation, emergency power products, solar streetlights and industrial applications. A Japanese retail demonstration involved 10 stores and 15 second-life storage units rated at 40 kWh each, while another solar project used 16 reused EV batteries to manage generation fluctuations.

7. LOHUM

Company Overview: LOHUM was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Greater Noida, India. Its business spans battery repurposing, recycling, materials recovery and lifecycle management, creating an operating model in which batteries can move into second-life use before material recovery. Core Second-Life EV Battery Expertise: LOHUM combines remaining-useful-life prediction with battery testing and modular energy-storage engineering and has reported an R&D organization exceeding 40 engineers. Major Products and Services: Its collaboration with MG Motor India developed a 5 kWh off-grid second-life BESS, while a partnership with Mercedes-Benz Energy provides access to used automotive modules. In 2026, LOHUM also joined a UAE project for a battery facility initially designed to process 1,500 tonnes annually while supporting both recycling and second-life repurposing.

8. The Mobility House

Company Overview: The Mobility House was founded in 2009 and operates globally from 6 locations, with its German headquarters in Munich. The organization has approximately 300 employees and works with more than 15 automotive manufacturers as part of its wider charging and energy business. Core Second-Life EV Battery Expertise: Its energy platform manages charging, storage and electricity-market participation, including systems containing repurposed automotive batteries. Major Products and Services: The Mobility House operates the energy-market algorithms behind the Mercedes-Benz-associated Lünen and Elverlingsen projects, where more than 2,000 reused modules provide 29 MW of power and 31 MWh of storage. The systems were requalified for another 5 years of primary-control service, demonstrating long-duration operational management of second-life assets.

9. Volvo Energy

Company Overview: Volvo Energy was founded in 2021 as a Volvo Group business area and is headquartered within the group's Gothenburg, Sweden operations. Core Second-Life EV Battery Expertise: It manages battery lifecycle activities across electric trucks, buses and construction equipment, using battery data and AI to evaluate state of health before reuse or recycling. Volvo reports that batteries considered for repurposing may have degraded by only 20–30% after their first mobile application. Major Products and Services: Volvo Energy has worked with Connected Energy on stationary systems based on batteries from commercial vehicles and has also developed the 540 kWh-class PU500 and 2,048 kWh PU2000 BESS platforms as part of its broader storage strategy.

10. Nunam

Company Overview: Nunam was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Bengaluru, India. Its current organization includes more than 20 team members, more than 4 years of R&D and prototyping activity, and testing experience covering over 20,000 used batteries. Core Second-Life EV Battery Expertise: Nunam develops battery diagnostics, repurposing processes, modular second-life storage and analytics designed to estimate health and improve battery bankability. Major Products and Services: Its NESS portfolio uses repurposed lithium-ion batteries, while its Qmax work focuses on battery analytics. A collaboration supported by Audi repurposed batteries from e-tron test vehicles into 3 electric rickshaws, demonstrating how automotive batteries can transition into lower-power mobility applications before recycling.

4. Regional Outlook

North America

North America has some of the clearest commercial evidence that second-life EV packs can operate at grid scale. B2U has deployed projects ranging from 12 MWh to 32 MWh in California and 24 MWh in Texas, using complete packs from retired electric vehicles. Moment Energy has simultaneously expanded commercial and industrial applications in Canada and opened a larger manufacturing operation in British Columbia in 2026. In the United States, federal battery programs selected 10 projects in an initial second-life and recycling phase and another 8 projects in a later phase, demonstrating government interest in reuse technologies, diagnostics, dismantling and domestic battery circularity.

Canada contributes technology development through companies such as Moment Energy, whose systems range from compact installations to designs scalable to approximately 10 MWh. Its Canadian military microgrid deployment reduced fuel requirements by at least 33%, illustrating second-life storage in remote-energy applications. Mexico has a growing vehicle-manufacturing and electrification base but fewer publicly documented commercial second-life deployments than the United States or Canada in 2026. Across the 3 USMCA countries, future development will depend on consistent transportation rules, warranties, pack diagnostics and insurance as increasing numbers of North American EV batteries become available during the 2030s.

Europe

Europe is developing the strongest regulatory infrastructure for second-life batteries. From 18 February 2027, EV batteries and industrial batteries above 2 kWh placed on the EU market must carry an electronic battery passport, and repurposed batteries are treated as products newly placed on the market for important regulatory purposes. The regulation also recognizes state-of-health assessment as central to deciding whether an EV battery can move into stationary storage. In the United Kingdom, government research involved representatives from more than 30 organizations when examining second-life BESS safety, illustrating the level of regulatory and technical attention being directed toward fire risk, testing and certification.

Commercial deployment extends across Germany, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands and Nordic markets. Mercedes-Benz-associated German projects provide 31 MWh, Connected Energy has secured 225 MWh of French second-life developments, and BeePlanet has commissioned a 1 MW/1.8 MWh grid-connected system in Spain. The UK's battery strategy estimates that approximately 16,500 tonnes of battery packs may need processing by 2028, increasing to about 150,000 tonnes by 2035, creating a larger potential pool for both reuse and recycling. Europe's challenge is ensuring that batteries suited to another 5–10 years of service are identified before being sent directly for material recovery.

Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific combines large EV fleets with some of the industry's longest-running second-life programs. Japan's 4R Energy was established in 2010 and opened its Namie battery reuse operation in 2018, giving the region more than a decade of commercial experience in battery grading and repurposing. China's new national rules, effective 1 April 2026, require lifecycle tracking of traction batteries and strengthen responsibility across battery companies, automakers, service operators, dismantlers and utilization enterprises. This information infrastructure can improve second-life decisions by making it easier to identify battery origin and service history before batteries are reassigned to stationary or other applications.

India is also creating formal channels for refurbishment. Battery Waste Management Rules introduced in 2022 cover EV, portable, automotive and industrial batteries, while recyclers and refurbishers register through a centralized EPR portal. Indian company Nunam has tested over 20,000 used batteries, while LOHUM's work with MG Motor includes a 5 kWh off-grid second-life product. South Korea, Australia, Singapore and Taiwan have developed broader battery-manufacturing, storage and circular-economy ecosystems, although publicly verified large second-life EV deployments remain less extensive than the established programs documented in Japan, China and India. Across the region, battery traceability and standardized state-of-health assessment will be important as EV retirements increase after 2030.

Middle East & Africa

The Middle East is beginning to create formal second-life battery infrastructure rather than relying entirely on imported stationary systems. In January 2026, the UAE announced plans involving its Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, BEEAH and LOHUM for a facility combining EV battery recycling and second-life repurposing. Initial processing capacity is planned at 1,500 tonnes annually, with capacity intended to double by the operation's third year. Within the 6 GCC countries, the UAE currently provides one of the clearest publicly documented examples of government-supported EV battery repurposing infrastructure. Future use cases include solar integration, charging stations and commercial backup power in markets where high daytime solar production aligns well with stationary storage.

Africa's second-life sector remains smaller, but practical demonstration projects show its relevance to weak-grid and off-grid environments. The South African SESA project at Alicedale combined 30.6 kWh of second-life EV batteries with 20 kWp of solar capacity, served 642 customers, and avoided 218.8 kilograms of electronic waste while also providing charging for 2 micro-electric vehicles. South Africa's broader electricity sector is simultaneously deploying 833 MWh of battery capacity during the first phase of Eskom's grid-storage rollout, demonstrating substantial future demand for storage technologies even though those utility projects are not specifically second-life systems. Skills, certification, transport safety and access to retired EV batteries remain barriers across African markets.

5. Future Opportunities in the Second-Life EV Battery Industry

The clearest future opportunity for the Top Companies in the Second-Life EV Battery Industry is the large increase in retired EV batteries expected after 2030. About 1.2 million vehicle batteries could reach end of life in 2030, rising to around 14 million in 2040. Not every battery should be repurposed: packs with serious physical damage, unsafe degradation or insufficient remaining capacity may be better suited to immediate recycling. However, batteries retaining suitable health can potentially operate for another 10 years or longer in less demanding stationary applications. This creates opportunities in state-of-health testing, automated grading, pack certification, warranties, insurance, logistics and modular BESS engineering.

Artificial intelligence and data analytics could reduce one of the sector's biggest uncertainties: predicting how long a used battery will remain safe and useful. Research using 15 months of second-life cycling data demonstrated machine-learning health-estimation errors below 2.3%, while Volvo Energy already applies battery data and AI to lifecycle evaluation. From 2027, EU battery passports will provide structured information that second-life operators can use for remaining-life and residual-value assessments. These developments create opportunities for cloud-based diagnostic platforms, edge monitoring, digital twins and automated battery sorting rather than relying on long-duration manual capacity tests for every incoming pack.

Product innovation can also expand second-life batteries into applications where lower power density is acceptable but circularity and local storage are valuable. Current examples already range from 5 kWh off-grid systems in India to 32 MWh grid installations in California. Fast-charging hubs, telecom sites, factories, renewable microgrids, data centers, agricultural facilities and community-energy projects can all use modular storage when technical qualification supports the use case. Companies able to integrate heterogeneous packs through intelligent BMS and power electronics may have an advantage because future feedstock will contain multiple cell chemistries, voltage architectures and physical formats rather than a single standardized EV battery.

Regulatory compliance will become another service opportunity. The EU's 2027 battery passport, China's 2026 traceability requirements and India's refurbishment registration system are creating measurable responsibilities around battery origin, safety and lifecycle management. A second-life operator placing a repurposed battery on the EU market can assume producer responsibilities, meaning compliance expertise will increasingly be integrated with engineering. Analytical expectations therefore favor business models that manage the complete second-life chain—from collection and diagnostics through repurposing, remote monitoring and eventual recycling—rather than treating stationary reuse as an isolated transaction.

6. Conclusion

The second-life EV battery industry in 2026 is transitioning from isolated demonstration projects to professionally engineered battery-energy-storage infrastructure. Retired EV packs commonly retain 70–80% of their original capacity, while commercial systems now range from small distributed units to installations exceeding 30 MWh. The 5 defining trends—better state-of-health diagnostics, grid-scale deployment, pack-level integration, OEM partnerships and diversified stationary applications—are helping companies extend battery utilization before final recycling. The Top Companies in the Second-Life EV Battery Industry profiled here represent specialized repurposers, automotive energy businesses, software operators and circular-battery companies working across North America, Europe and Asia.

The strongest long-term opportunity comes from feedstock growth: approximately 1.2 million EV batteries could reach end of life in 2030 and 14 million in 2040. Europe is preparing digital traceability through a mandatory battery passport from 18 February 2027, China implemented new lifecycle rules in April 2026, and India already recognizes refurbishers within its battery EPR framework. Competition will therefore depend on more than acquiring used packs. Successful companies will need accurate diagnostics, proven fire safety, scalable energy-management software, warranties, regulatory compliance and reliable pathways to recycling when the battery's second life eventually ends. Second-life deployment will not replace recycling, but it can add years of productive service before valuable battery materials re-enter the manufacturing cycle.