Cummins Inc. has announced a multiyear partnership with the University of California San Diego and its battery validation lab to analyze viable business and technical approaches to effectively reuse or repurpose electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
Under the agreement, UC San Diego will perform accelerated testing and real-world application testing and will develop an outdoor second-life demonstration system made up of Cummins battery modules.
The collaboration will enable Cummins to acquire data on the aging behaviors of its battery modules, test integration solutions for second-life battery systems, and validate stationary storage system performance under grid energy storage applications.
“Electrification has the potential to play an enormous role as we move toward decarbonization of many industries, but in order to maximize that potential, it’s crucial that we focus on the sustainability of the entire product life cycle,” says Julie Furber, vice president of electrified power at Cummins. “One piece of the puzzle that requires additional research is the second life of batteries, and Cummins now has a highly skilled and capable partner in UC San Diego as we move towards the development of reuse solutions.”
Founded in 2018, the electrified power business of Cummins designs and manufactures fully electric and hybrid powertrain systems, along with components and subsystems, to serve commercial markets.
“Cummins is the nexus between the transportation and stationary energy storage sectors,” adds Mike Ferry, director of energy storage and systems at UC San Diego’s Center for Energy Research. “Battery module design is a crucial aspect to making second life more feasible, and their experience will be invaluable as we continue to develop solutions.”