47
2020
Techtalks
Audi batteries find second life in forklift trucks
Used lithium batteries from Audi cars are being reused in forklift trucks at the car manufacturer’s
factory in Ingolstadt, Germany.
The batteries come from the Audi e-tron, its first
all-electronic car, and hybrid models such as the A3
and Q7 e-tron.
Audi’s forklift trucks are typically powered by
lead-acid batteries, each weighing up to two tonnes,
that have to be removed to be recharged. Lithium-ion
batteries can simply remain in the vehicles and be re-
newed with power at night or during downtime. Audi
says it can save ‘millions of euros’ by equipping its
worldwide fleet of factory vehicles with used lithium-
ion batteries.
Like all manufacturers, Audi is required by law to
take back batteries from cars when they are due for
replacement. These batteries often retain a large part
of their charging capacity. ‘There are valuable raw ma-
terials in a lithium-ion battery and a lot of energy is
needed to make one,’ says Peter Kössler, board mem-
ber for production and logistics at Audi. ‘In order to
achieve truly sustainable electric mobility, we must
therefore also look at how we can reuse batteries.’
Used lithium-ion batteries boost the driving per-
formance of a forklift truck, Audi claims. ‘For exam-
ple, vehicles carrying lithium-ion batteries maintain
a constant speed, even on slopes, that is not possible
with lead-acid batteries. In addition, the battery can
easily be charged so they are not out of commission
for a long time.’
The battery of an Audi e-tron, which is situated
under the floor of the passenger compartment, con-
sists of 36 individual modules. When the battery is
discarded, each module is checked for reusability. For
use in a factory vehicle, 24 modules are brought to-
gether in a package that is as large and heavy as an old
lead-acid battery. As a result, no major adjustments
have to be made to the vehicles. A dedicated team at
Audi has been working on the reuse project for two
years.
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