Honda and Mitsubishi Agree on "Battery Lifetime Management" Business Model

Honda and Mitsubishi have recently signed a memorandum of understanding for two new business models in Japan that will reshape how batteries are utilized during and after use in an EV. One of them, called Battery Lifetime Management, is exactly as it sounds. Starting with upcoming mini Japanese market EVs, Honda will deploy software that will try to protect and maximize the value of the batteries that will be installed in these EVs, so that when the vehicle is at the end of its lifecycle, the battery still has demonstrative value. Then, it will be repurposed as stationary energy storage and, when the time comes, it will be properly recycled.

Of course, battery repurposing isn’t anything new, but this new approach is the first time software is designed to ensure the battery has a second purpose outside of its initial application. This type of active battery management could be seen as an evolution of battery preservation techniques. Like the general move from air cooled to liquid cooled batteries, the intention of this software is to essentially get “more out of” the components in a battery, and by actively managing the actual battery conditions, this can essentially increase the lifetime of a given battery.