Waymo robotaxi batteries may eventually find a second job after their time in autonomous vehicles: stationary storage for electric grids.
Waymo and B2U Storage Solutions say they have entered a strategic supply agreement under which B2U would receive batteries from Waymo vehicles when those packs are no longer the right fit for robotaxi service. The companies have described the arrangement as a way to extend the useful life of electric vehicle batteries while adding storage capacity for local power systems.
The exact scale is not yet fixed. Waymo has discretion over when batteries are removed and how many are made available, and a firm long-term delivery schedule has not been publicly confirmed. Still, the companies say B2U has begun receiving small initial quantities from the Waymo fleet, with the potential for larger volumes as Waymo’s electric robotaxi operations mature.
That matters because stationary storage is one of the more practical second-life uses for EV batteries. A battery pack that no longer meets the performance needs of a high-mileage vehicle may still hold enough capacity for grid applications, where weight, acceleration, packaging, and fast-changing driving loads are less important than predictable storage and discharge.
Why Robotaxi Batteries Are Different From Consumer EV Batteries
Waymo’s fleet is not used like a privately owned electric car. The company’s vehicles operate as commercial robotaxis, which means they can accumulate mileage more quickly than a typical consumer EV. Waymo has said some vehicles have been serving riders for years and have mileage beyond normal consumer use, though it has not publicly provided a standard mileage threshold for battery replacement or vehicle retirement.
That distinction is important for second-life planning. Batteries lose usable capacity over time through age, charging patterns, temperature exposure, and cycling. In a robotaxi fleet, the business case for replacing a pack may arrive before the battery is exhausted. If a refreshed pack improves vehicle efficiency or keeps fleet operations consistent, Waymo may decide to remove a battery while it still has meaningful remaining capacity.
Adam Lenz, Waymo’s head of sustainability and environment, described the company’s maintenance approach as one that looks for opportunities to refresh batteries in the fleet and send removed packs into second-life applications when they still have value. That framing leaves open the operational details, but it explains why used robotaxi batteries could become a recurring supply source rather than a one-time disposal issue.
The source fleet is also large enough to matter. Waymo’s current fleet has been described as nearly 4,000 vehicles, led mainly by Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicles using 90 kWh lithium-ion battery packs. Waymo has also begun introducing Zeekr-built vehicles with 93 kWh packs. Those figures suggest that even partially degraded packs could represent substantial storage capacity if deployed at scale, though the final available capacity would depend on pack condition, testing, refurbishment needs, and how many vehicles are actually processed through B2U.
How B2U Plans To Use The Packs
B2U specializes in repurposing used EV batteries for stationary energy storage projects. The company says its business is built around capturing the remaining value in batteries after they are no longer suitable for automotive use.
In grid storage, repurposed batteries can charge when electricity is abundant or cheaper, including during periods of high renewable generation, and discharge during periods of higher demand. That can help shift energy from one part of the day to another and reduce pressure on local grids during peak periods.
The companies have said Waymo batteries will first be received at B2U’s Lancaster facility in Los Angeles County. B2U says that site already hosts more than 1,300 repurposed EV batteries. From there, Waymo batteries could be used in other B2U projects in California and Texas, including a 24 MWh project in Bexar County, Texas. A firm timeline for wider deployment has not been publicly confirmed.
| Item | Reported Detail |
|---|---|
| Waymo fleet size | Described as nearly 4,000 vehicles |
| Main current vehicle | Jaguar I-Pace |
| Jaguar I-Pace battery size | 90 kWh |
| Newer vehicle platform | Zeekr-built Ojai robotaxi |
| Zeekr battery size | 93 kWh |
| B2U Lancaster site | More than 1,300 repurposed EV batteries, according to the company |
| Potential Texas project | 24 MWh in Bexar County, with timing not publicly confirmed |
B2U chief executive Freeman Hall has suggested that a large robotaxi fleet could eventually translate into significant megawatt-hour capacity for stationary storage. Waymo has described the possible contribution over time as hundreds of megawatt-hours, but that remains dependent on fleet turnover, battery condition, project needs, and the pace at which packs are transferred.
The Local Grid Angle
The partnership is also being framed around geography. Waymo and B2U say the batteries could be deployed in regions where Waymo operates robotaxis, creating a loop in which batteries that once powered rides in a community later support energy storage near that same broader market.
That local connection is especially relevant for an electric robotaxi network. Waymo vehicles rely on charging infrastructure, and charging demand grows as the service expands. Stationary storage does not eliminate the need for grid upgrades or clean electricity, but it can be part of the infrastructure mix for managing demand and making better use of renewable generation.
Waymo has estimated that its all-electric fleet avoids 530 tons of CO2 emissions for every 500,000 weekly trips. That figure is a company estimate and has not been independently verified here. The company has also said it typically sources electricity from local wind and solar projects and uses renewable energy certificates when needed, though the details can vary by market and operating arrangement.
One recent complication has been Austin, Texas, where Waymo’s partnership with Uber involved a temporary charging setup using mobile natural-gas generators. That arrangement drew local attention because of generator noise and because it sat awkwardly beside the company’s broader clean-energy positioning.
The B2U agreement points in a different direction: a longer-term effort to connect EV fleet operations, second-life battery use, and local storage demand. It does not solve every charging or grid issue, but it gives Waymo a clearer answer for what happens to batteries that still have life left after robotaxi service.
Second-Life Batteries Meet Rising Storage Demand
The timing fits a larger shift in the U.S. energy market. Battery storage installations have been growing quickly as utilities, developers, and large energy users look for ways to balance renewable generation and peak demand. A Solar Energy Industries Association report said U.S. stationary battery storage installations reached 9.7 GWh in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, described as the largest first quarter on record and up 32 percent year over year.
B2U says it already manages more than 4,000 EV battery packs across its storage projects, including Nissan Leaf packs first installed in 2020 that remain in service after roughly 2,500 cycles. Those company-reported figures have not been independently verified here, but they show the kind of operating history B2U is pointing to as it expands supply.
For Waymo, the commercial logic is straightforward. High-mileage autonomous vehicles will eventually need battery refreshes, and those removed packs still represent a valuable asset if they can be tested, integrated, and operated safely in stationary systems. For B2U, a growing robotaxi fleet could become a more predictable stream of used EV batteries at a time when storage demand remains high.
The agreement does not mean thousands of Waymo packs will immediately appear on the grid. It does suggest that robotaxi fleets are starting to create a second-order battery market of their own, where battery retirement is less about disposal and more about redeployment.