Nissan LEAF's lithium-ion battery to be reused in automated vehicles

Nissan Motor Company has integrated the Nissan LEAF’s battery pack with the Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) it uses in its factories. These machines deliver parts to workers in the car factory and move around the facility on magnetic tracks. With the use of AGVs, workers can focus on doing their jobs without the need for them to look for the parts they need. In effect, this streamlines the work process and increases productivity as well.

Since these AGVs run on electricity, the Japanese brand sought to find a way to make these vehicles even more efficient. Enter the Nissan LEAF and its lithium-ion battery pack. Instead of developing their own AVG battery packs, the Japanese brand repurposed the existing battery technology and adapted it to fit their automated machines. The automaker would use older and weaker battery packs from the Nissan LEAF, which were deemed too weak to run a car, and reuse them for the AVGs in their factories.

They did this by separating the 48-modules found in the LEAF’s battery pack into threes, in order for them to fit into the AVGs. Through this method, older battery packs now have a new lease on life. The method also makes electrification of mobility much easier and much more sustainable. With the repurposed battery packs now functioning as a new power source for the brand’s AVGs in its factories, the machines now have lower charging times and can last longer on a single charge. Also thanks to the fast charging capabilities of the battery packs, AVGs only need to momentarily stop at a charging station along their route to top up on power. Prior to this being implemented, workers had to remove the battery packs and swap them out for new ones. This led to less productivity, as more steps were needed to keep the AVGs running and delivering parts to their needed areas. The repurposed LEAF batteries are expected to last between 7 to 8 years before being retired for good.