Waymo to use retired robotaxi batteries for grid storage

Waymo has announced a partnership with B2U, an energy storage company, to use retired robotaxi batteries for grid storage—which refers to energy storage systems used to support electricity grids—in California and Texas. The deal focuses on battery repurposing, a process defined as using old electric vehicle (EV) batteries for secondary applications rather than recycling them immediately. By redirecting these batteries to support local power grids, the companies aim to extend the useful life of the battery cells after they are retired from active autonomous vehicle service.

The agreement addresses how the autonomous vehicle company plans to manage the end-of-life treatment of the thousands of robotaxis it has deployed across the United States. Currently, almost all of Waymo’s active fleet consists of Jaguar I-Pace EVs. However, the company has also started deploying a limited number of vans built by Chinese automaker Zeekr. As these vehicles accumulate mileage, their batteries eventually degrade past the point of optimal performance for ride-hailing, making secondary use cases a key operational consideration for fleet operators managing large-scale electric vehicle deployments.

While specific timelines for the rollout have not been disclosed, Waymo stated that the partnership will involve the deployment of “hundreds of megawatts of storage capacity” over time. This move aligns with a broader industry shift toward battery repurposing. For instance, Redwood Materials, a battery repurposing company founded by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel and backed in part by Waymo’s parent company Alphabet, recently spun up its own second-life storage business utilizing old EV batteries. B2U operates in this same sector, focusing on utilizing secondary-use batteries to serve electricity grids rather than immediately breaking them down for raw materials.

The choice between battery repurposing and recycling is a key strategic decision for electric vehicle fleet operators. While recycling breaks batteries down to recover raw materials, repurposing allows the batteries to continue functioning as energy storage units. Waymo’s partnership with B2U highlights how autonomous vehicle operators are exploring these secondary use cases to manage their hardware lifecycles.

Why it matters

This partnership signals how major autonomous vehicle operators are planning for the lifecycle management of their fleets, moving beyond simple recycling to secondary grid storage applications.