4R Energy and Relectrify collaborate in second-life battery storage products

Relectrify media release

December 6, 2018

4R Energy Corporation, a subsidiary of Nissan Motor and Sumitomo and leader in second-life batteries, and Relectrify, a battery control technology specialist, announced today the commencement of a collaboration to develop second-life battery storage solutions. The products in development include repurposing used batteries from the Nissan Leaf, one of the world’s best-selling electric vehicles, using Relectrify’s battery and inverter control technology, to allow 4R Energy to address significant opportunities in the storage market.

 “We are actively seeking to build affordable, fully-integrated battery systems”, said Eiji Makino, President of 4R Energy. “Used electric vehicle batteries in Japan and abroad offer a significant opportunity to create compelling energy storage systems in Japan and beyond. Relectrify’s technology holds the key to achieving capable, long-lived storage in a cost-effective manner.”

4R Energy brings a strong existing track record, as provider of residential storage systems based on new batteries to customers in Japan. The company has also demonstrated repurposing used electric vehicle batteries at industrial scale. Earlier this year, 4R Energy opened a facility in Namie, Japan to repurpose used electric vehicle batteries into a second life both in and out of the vehicle.

“Relectrify’s goal is making energy storage affordable”, said Valentin Muenzel, Co=Founder and CEO of Relectrify. “We are excited to work with 4R Energy to leverage our advanced control technology to deliver compelling battery storage products to its customers.”

About 4R Energy Corporation 

4R Energy Corporation is a global leader in addressing opportunities regarding second-life batteries. Founded in 2010, as a joint venture of Nissan Motor Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation, 4R Energy aims to reuse, resell, refabricate and recycle lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles. The company is based in Yokohama City, Japan and operates as a subsidiary of Nissan.

About Relectrify 

Relectrify is a developer of advanced battery control solutions. Founded in Melbourne, Australia in 2015, Relectrify’s technologies demonstrably increase the lifetime and decrease the cost of battery storage systems in homes, industry, the power grid, and beyond.

*NOTE: In October 2017 the CEFC announced a $750,000 equity investment from the Clean Energy Innovation Fund for Relectrify to develop and commercialise control technologies that optimise the use of lithium-ion vehicle batteries.