DHL’s EV Centre of Excellence in Rugby, UK, is set for a huge expansion thanks to the launch of a new battery services center. Developed in collaboration with Cox Automotive, the service center will deliver a range of services including battery servicing, repair, and recycling.
DHL claim it will have the capacity to process “thousands” of EV batteries each year, based on principles of a ‘circular economy’ for batteries.
The site will become part of DHL’s existing 146,000 square foot EV Centre of Excellence in the town of Rugby, which already supplies logistics solutions for batteries and vehicles. It will be fitted with an £800,000 Battery Energy Storage System which enables EV batteries to be safely discharged and their energy re-circulated into the manufacturing process.
“We’ve been listening and working with the industry to create a more robust end-to-end solution for the EV batteries that effectively and reliably addresses challenges for manufacturers and fleets,” said Paul Stone, MD of Manufacturing Logistics at DHL Supply Chain. “Today, alongside Cox Automotive, we are setting the new standard for EV battery circularity and this cooperation represents a major step forward in creating a scalable circular economy for batteries in the UK.”
Meanwhile, Cox Automotives President Martin Forbes said the center will act as a one-stop shop for EV customers. “With 35,000 square feet of dedicated battery repair service, we can deliver vital battery services to customers under one roof. In addition, this new facility provides our customers with a unique EV handling service as it complements our existing vehicle services location just 13 miles away in Bruntingthorpe.”
The UK EV Centre of Excellence forms part of a global network operated by DHL, which are located in countries including China, Italy, Indonesia, UAE, Mexico, and the USA. Most of these sites offer warehousing for EV manufacturers, delivery management for parts and vehicles, customs support, and more. With strict regulations concerning safety and storage, DHL says it can ensure compliance as well as logistical support.
Last week, DHL announced it is opening a further Centre of Excellence in Shanghai, which will work alongside the three other sites opened in China, Singapore and Indonesia in 2024.
