Mobilize develops concrete solutions to facilitate the ecological transition

With the rising number of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, the mobility and energy markets are now closely linked. Thanks to a fully comprehensive integrated offer, Mobilize provides customers with concrete solutions and contributes to Renault Group’s zero-carbon target. Clotilde Delbos, CEO, Mobilize

Connected services to encourage EV uptake

• Battery Certificate: Facilitating the sale of used electric vehicles

Mobilize is launching its ‘Battery Certificate’, an application that allows owners of Renault and Dacia electric vehicles to create a certificate showing their battery’s remaining energy capacity directly on their smartphone or the internet.

The certificate presents numerous advantages:

• Increase the residual value and sale price of used electric vehicles
• Accelerate sales of used electric vehicles by reassuring prospective buyers of the battery’s remaining capacity

The application is available via MY Renault for individual customers and EASY CONNECT for Fleet for corporate clients, while Dacia Spring users can access it via MY Dacia.

Data used to prepare the certificate are collected via the Battery Management System (BMS) or are calculated using driving and charging time data. This gives an accurate snapshot of the battery’s state of health (SOH), in other words, the battery’s current capacity as a percentage of its initial capacity. For example, if the SOH of a 40 kWh battery is 94%, the residual capacity is 37.6 kWh.

The certificate is available for Renault Zoe E-TECH 100% Electric, Renault Kangoo E-TECH 100% Electric 33 kWh, and Twingo E-TECH 100% Electric. The service will be extended to future Renault electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, as well as to Dacia's EV range.

• Mobilize Charge Pass: Access more than 260,000 charging stations throughout Europe

As a means of fostering electric mobility uptake, Mobilize has created the Mobilize Charge Pass, a service dedicated to EV charging while already on the road.

The MY Renault app can be used to locate the nearest available charging station that is compatible with the specific vehicle, it also displays the price, and shows the best route to get there. Once the vehicle is plugged in, the charging session can be started using the Mobilize Charge Pass, previously paired with a means of payment.

With just a single app, Mobilize Charge Pass provides access to a network of more than 260,000 charging points in 25 countries throughout Europe.

Currently available in Germany and Spain, the app will be rolled out elsewhere in the coming months.

• Mobilize Smart charge: reduce your electricity bill while charging your vehicle with greener energy

The Mobilize Smart Charge app allows Renault EV owners to optimise the cost of charging their car at home while reducing their carbon footprint thanks to intelligent charging scheduling.

The app controls vehicle charging according to peaks and troughs in electricity power generation and consumption. In concrete terms, the app stops charging the battery when the power grid is experiencing high consumption, and resumes charging when the grid is back to surplus available power. This indirectly helps incorporate more renewable energy in the mix and helps maintain a well-balanced grid.

Mobilize Smart Charge calculates the optimal charging schedule by taking into account grid capacity, the availability of renewable energy sources, electricity prices, and of course the user's charging preferences (i.e., desired charge level, start time). This flexibility is much appreciated by energy market players. As a result, users can save money on their electricity bills; it goes to show how it pays to be flexible.

The app is currently available in France and the Netherlands for owners of Twingo E-TECH 100% Electric and Zoe E-TECH 100% Electric*.

*Eligible vehicles: Zoe Phase 1 (made after November 2019), Zoe Phase 2 (made after 29 October 2020), and all Twingo EV models. Vehicles must be equipped with either RLink or EasyLink multimedia systems

Energy storage solutions using EV batteries to promote the use of renewable energy

• In light of the energy transition, Mobilize installed 15 MWh of storage capacity for real-time regulation of the gap between energy production and consumption.

Mobilize continues to roll out its Advanced Battery Storage project, the largest stationary energy storage device based on EV batteries. Ultimately, the project is set to reach a capacity of 70 MWh across France and Germany.

After Douai (North of France) and Elverlingsen (Germany), Mobilize has chosen to install 480 unused Renault Zoe batteries at the Renault Group Re-Factory in Flins (Yvelines, France) for an additional capacity of 15 MWh. Eventually, the batteries will be replaced by used batteries in need of a second life, with a less demanding mission in terms of energy density and power than during their first life as a car battery. In extending the lifespan of EV batteries, the project helps reduce their carbon footprint.

In order to guarantee uninterrupted service to all consumers, energy production and consumption on the power grid must be held in perfect balance at all times. Through the Advanced Battery Storage project, EV batteries store energy when grid power consumption is low, which it then instantly injects back to the grid as needed. The batteries act as buffers for the grid they are plugged in to and help promote increased use of renewable energy.

The Advanced Battery Storage project underscores Mobilize’s position as a main player when it comes to intelligent energy and electrical ecosystems, standing alongside its partners: The Banque des territoires, Mitsui Corp. from Japan, Demeter (via the Fund for Ecological Modernisation of Transport), The Mobility House, Nidec, and Fenecon.

• Mobilize and betteries AMPS GmbH reuse EV batteries to offer an environmentally friendly and economical energy storage solution

As part of an effort to make e-mobility truly responsible and strive for a future without CO2 emissions, Mobilize and betteries AMPS GmbH signed off on an industrial partnership for the manufacturing of an easily transportable, modular, versatile, and connected energy storage solution using EV battery modules. In giving batteries a ‘second life’ during which they store and provide clean, affordable energy, Mobilize and betteries show their support of circular economics and help reduce the carbon footprint of EV batteries.

The betterPack (primary component of the storage system) can be stacked onto a betterGen (a cart with inverter and charger) and used to replace small fuel-powered generators. The system has an output of 2 to 5 kW and a capacity of 2.3 to 9.2 kWh. It can be used even in enclosed spaces because, unlike conventional generators, it does not emit any exhaust fumes.

It is very easy to use and silent to run, making it an ideal solution for industrial equipment rental companies, film crews, or construction sites seeking to reduce their CO2 emissions. The betterPack is also an ideal turnkey solution for three-wheeler vehicles (e.g., ‘tuk-tuk’ taxis) and even small electric boats. Due to its low weight (less than 35kg), the betterPack can be replaced by hand for non-stop use.

In order to give customers a product that truly reflects their expectations, various pilot projects are currently under way, and customer feedback is being integrated into the final product design. In addition to solutions already under consideration, teams are continuing to seek new applications, such as powering small off-grid solar panels, which would help offset energy shortages and provide quiet, green energy storage solutions.

In using second-life batteries, the solution offered by Mobilize and betteries equates to savings that range from 15-65% compared to traditional solutions using fuel-powered generators.

Following the announcement of the industrial partnership between Mobilize and betteries in June 2021, teams have been getting ready to kick off manufacturing of a production model at the Renault Group Re-Factory in Flins, France, with sales expected to start by before the end of 2021.