Waymo’s spent robotaxi batteries will be used as grid storage

Waymo has forged a partnership with energy storage innovator B2U to repurpose retired batteries from its robotaxi fleet as energy storage solutions for electricity grids in California and Texas. This initiative sheds light on Waymo’s strategy for managing the lifecycle of its extensive fleet of robotaxis, predominantly consisting of Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicles, along with a few vans from the Chinese manufacturer Zeekr. The collaboration aims to deploy substantial storage capabilities, amounting to “hundreds of megawatts,” although specific details have yet to be disclosed. B2U is part of a growing movement prioritizing the repurposing of batteries over traditional recycling methods. Notably, Redwood Materials, established by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel and supported by Waymo's parent company Alphabet, has also launched its own program focused on giving new life to old electric vehicle batteries.