Mercedes-Benz brings energy storage units to the UK

The luxury car brand’s parent company Daimler has been using lithium-ion battery technology in 80,000 hybrid and electric vehicles (EV) since 2012. Now, its subsidiary Deustche ACCUMOTIVE is partnering with numerous European firms to rollout installations of energy storage units.

“There is tremendous interest in our energy storage units and we have already received numerous orders,” Mercedes-Benz’ head of development electronics and e-drive Harald Kröger said. “Over the coming months, we will continue to expand sales both in Germany and on the international market.”

Daimler will focus immediate sales of the units in Germany, but Mercedes has listed UK distributors including Alternergy, Innasol and Wind & Sun for UK deployment. The German-based manufacturers will also partner with the likes of Solar Frontier to offer complete systems installations that connect units to onsite renewables.

Up to eight 2.5kWh battery modules can be purchased and combined to create a unit capacity of up to 20kWh. Households fitted with photovoltaic systems can increase self-consumption of renewable energy as much as 65% through the units, Mercedes has claimed.

Daimler has suggested that the systems are scalable, meaning that the units could be employed in large-scale industry systems as well as private homes. The systems come with a 15-year warranty and have a charge retention rate of 80% after 10 years of use.

Daimler is investing around €500m on a secondary battery plant, located at Kamenz, to facilitate rising demand and “bring about the energy revolution”.

Switching lanes

The company’s commitment to EVs extends to public charging infrastructure as well. Daimler is one of the six car makers that have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop “a sizable number” of ultra-fast, high-powered charging networks in Europe.

Daimler joins a growing number of carmakers attempting to follow Tesla’s venture into energy storage systems. BMW is using energy storage as a crux for its new operating model, which focuses heavily on the circular economy.

Elsewhere, Japanese carmaker Nissan is trialling vehicle-to-grid energy systems in the UK, through a partnership with the National Grid.

Matt Mace