Spanish charging station uses second-life batteries from EV-maker Irizar

An EV charging station that uses energy storage based on second-life batteries from Irizar e-mobility is up and running at a Repsol service station in the Spanish city of Tolosa.

This 50 kW DC fast charger, developed by Repsol and charging provider Ibil, is said to be the first one in Spain to employ second life-batteries.

Irizar e-mobility and Ibil have signed a collaboration agreement to give a second life to Irizar’s electric bus batteries.

The use of stationary storage facilitates the installation of 50 kW charging points in locations that do not have enough grid power, or where the cost of increasing grid power is unfeasible. According to Irizar, this solution reduces the grid power needed by 70%. A 50 kW DC fast charger can thus be put into operation using only a 15 kW grid connection.

Infrastructure operating costs can be lowered by up to 50% thanks to the lower-power service, and the charging station can be installed almost anywhere because of the small footprint of the storage module—less than one square meter.

Irizar’s current line of EVs includes three models: the Irizar ie bus, Irizar ie tram and Irizar ie truck. The company’s EVs have been on the road since 2014 in several European cities.