Battery in the cloud

Value pools throughout the product life cycle

Smart battery services help to reduce the vehicle manufacturer’s warranty costs. Continuous acquisition of battery data and extended battery lifetime result in fewer warranty claims and consequently lower costs for repair and replacement. In addition to that, anomalies can be identified early on, and possible problems can be rectified before a complete replacement of the battery becomes necessary during the warranty period.

The battery data acquired continuously in the field and transmitted to the cloud from connected vehicles is an important resource for the further development of battery technologies. The exchange of condition data, parameters, and software between the cloud and vehicle enables a continuous feedback loop for optimization of the battery design and operating strategy.

Manufacturers and workshops can offer battery certificates as a new type of paid service. In addition, the extended lifetime of the battery increases the residual value of used vehicles. Furthermore, cost-efficient second-life concepts for the reuse of electric vehicle batteries, e.g., as stationary energy storage, are supported by the meticulous documentation of the battery condition. Moreover, decision-making processes regarding recycling can be supported by drawing on the information in the battery’s digital twin, thus enabling a sustainable circular economy.

Manufacturers of electric vehicles so far bear the cost risk for any claims arising under warranty and must set aside an appropriate warranty reserve, which must not be too low. With the help of cloud-based battery services, insurers now have the possibility to relieve the manufacturers of this risk, since they possess precise information about the condition of the batteries and the remaining lifetime. Instead of having to accrue a warranty reserve themselves, manufacturers simply pay the appropriate insurance premium and do not bear any financial risk.