BNA-Battery – Refurbishing battery packs for Hybrid cars
Currently, major car brands invest more resources in the recycling of battery cells and other materials needed for a battery pack than in their reconditioning. That’s why BNA-Battery developed a process to repair and reuse Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries used in hybrid cars. These cars emit 25-to-35% less CO2 than regular cars, so worth investing in.
BNA-Battery expand the lifetime of a NiMH battery with 2-to-4 years. Every year, BNA gives a second-life to ~150,000 cells. This is approximately 1000 battery packs and results in significant savings in raw material use.
The youth have the future, we hold the key to a cleaner world for them. Our motto is #Reduce, #Reuse and #Recycle!
Dennis Bakker, CEO at BNA Group
Turning used NiMH cells into well-functioning batteries
BNA-Battery was founded in 2018 by 2 engineers who developed a software to test cells in used NiMH battery packs on different characteristics. This way, broken or weak cells can be identified and individually replaced with better ones. BNA-Battery maintains the original frame and electronics, while cells are replaced. Cells that cannot be restored or reused are processed further for recycling.
Their battery testing software and installation procedures have earned a joint 2nd place in the mobility challenge of the Dutch Mobility Innovations in 2020. Currently, 6 people work at BNA and the company has a turnover of ~1 million euros.
For the future, the team is working on expanding capacity as increasingly more NiMH battery packs reach their end-of-life in hybrid cars. Cooperating with partners in new geographies would reduce transport distances and emissions and serve a wider European customer base. They strive for a collaboration with the major car brands to ensure that each battery is first refurbished before it ends up in recycling. The company shows great potential for increasing capacity in a limited time period.