KUALA LUMPUR – 3 May 2023 – EV Connection (EVC), in collaboration with BMW, have introduced Malaysia’s first Mobile Charging Vehicle at Malaysia Autoshow 2023 and it utilises repurposed EV batteries. Essentially, this is an EV “powerbank” on wheels that can offer DC fast charging for electric vehicles.

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, EV Connection has repurposed them and given them a new lease of life. The prototype Mobile Charging Vehicle on display uses a Nissan Vanette which has a 30kW DC fast charger at the rear. It has 16 units of repurposed BMW battery modules taken from existing electrified BMW and MINI vehicles at the end of their lifecycles. These batteries originally have a combined capacity of 30kWh. With an estimated State of Health of about 70%, the usable capacity is around 20kWh which should be enough to provide about 100km of driving range in 30 minutes or approximately 40-50km in 15 minutes.

The Nissan Vanette utilized is currently the sole prototype, and actually merely serves as a mobile platform for the charging facility; future iterations may use a different make or model of vehicle. The mobile charging vehicle actually comes into the second-life battery programme that is part of the initiative by BMW Group Malaysia, who aims to divert all retired EV batteries for the expansion of their electrification possibilities.

“EV Connection is honoured to be part of this unprecedented innovative initiative with a trusted automotive brand such as BMW in the development of this mobile charger. It is our hope that we will be able to elevate the range anxiety of EV drivers and contribute towards driving the electrified mobility revolution in Malaysia,” said EV Connection technical director Che Hang Seng.

“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. This 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,” said BMW Group Malaysia head of corporate communications and sustainability Sashi Ambi.