Audi e-tron batteries find second life in Indian e-rickshaws

By CARSIFU | 19 June 2022


BERLIN/BANGALORE: The German–Indian start-up Nunam is bringing three electric rickshaws to the roads of India. They are powered by used batteries taken from test vehicles in the Audi e-tron test fleet.

The aim of the project is to explore how modules made with high-voltage batteries can be reused after their car life cycle and become a viable second-life use case.

The project also aims to strengthen job opportunities for women in India in particular: They will be provided with the e-rickshaws to transport their goods.

The non-profit start-up based in Berlin and Bangalore is funded by the Audi Environmental Foundation.

Second-life use: Audi e-tron battery modules power electrify ric


Nunam developed the three prototypes in collaboration with the training team at Audi’s Neckarsulm site, which in turn benefits from the intensive intercultural exchange.

This is the first joint project between both AUDI AG and the Audi Environmental Foundation in addition to Nunam.

The e-rickshaws powered by second-life batteries are scheduled to hit the roads in India for the first time in a pilot project in early 2023.

There they will be made available to a non-profit organisation.

Women in particular will be able to use the all-electric rickshaws to transport their goods to market for sale, all without the need for intermediaries.

Second-life use: Audi e-tron battery modules power electrify ric


The e-rickshaws are powered by used battery modules that spent their first life in an Audi e-tron.

“The old batteries are still extremely powerful,” says Nunam cofounder Prodip Chatterjee. “When used appropriately, second-life batteries can have a huge impact, helping people in challenging life situations earn an income and gain economic independence – everything in a sustainable way.”

The start-up’s primary goal is to develop ways to use old batteries as second-life power storage systems, thus both extending their lives and using resources more efficiently.

“Car batteries are designed to last the life of the car. But even after their initial use in a vehicle, they still have a lot of their power,” Chatterjee explains. “For vehicles with lower range and power requirements, as well as lower overall weight, they are extremely promising.

Second-life use: Audi e-tron battery modules power electrify ric


"In our second-life project, we reuse batteries from electric cars in electric vehicles; you might call it electric mobility ‘lite’. In this way, we’re trying to find out how much power the batteries can still provide in this demanding use case.”

Moreover, after the battery has spent its first life in an Audi e-tron and its second in an e-rickshaw, it has not necessarily reached the end of the road. In a third step, the batteries’ remaining power might be used for stationary applications such as LED lighting. “We want to get everything possible out of each battery before recycling,” says cofounder Prodip Chatterjee.

In addition to the rickshaws intended for road use in India, the trainees at the Neckarsulm site are developing an additional show rickshaw in cooperation with Nunam. Visitors to the GREENTECH FESTIVAL in Berlin can check it out – and even give it a test drive – from June 22.

A second life for electric car batteries: The German–Indian start-up Nunam is bringing three electric rickshaws to the roads of India. They are powered by used batteries taken from test vehicles in the Audi e-tron test fleet. The aim of the project is to explore how modules made with high-voltage batteries can be reused after their car life cycle and become a viable second-life use case.


A second life for electric car batteries: The German–Indian start-up Nunam is bringing three electric rickshaws to the roads of India. They are powered by used batteries taken from test vehicles in the Audi e-tron test fleet. The aim of the project is to explore how modules made with high-voltage batteries can be reused after their car life cycle and become a viable second-life use case.

A second life for electric car batteries: The German–Indian start-up Nunam is bringing three electric rickshaws to the roads of India. They are powered by used batteries taken from test vehicles in the Audi e-tron test fleet. The aim of the project is to explore how modules made with high-voltage batteries can be reused after their car life cycle and become a viable second-life use case.

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