As the global shift towards electrification accelerates, one of the most pressing challenges for the automotive industry is deciding what to do with retired electric vehicle batteries. With no single definitive solution, various start-ups and carmakers are developing their own approaches. Toyota’s answer is the Sweep Energy Storage System, a project that has now entered field testing at Mazda’s Hiroshima facility.
The Sweep system takes high-voltage batteries salvaged from electrified vehicles, whether hybrids or fully electric, and integrates them into a large-scale factory energy storage solution. What sets the system apart is its ability to work with batteries of varying chemistries and levels of degradation. An advanced energy management logic developed by Toyota continuously monitors performance, directing power through the strongest units while bypassing weaker ones in real time.
Adding to its cost efficiency, the system also reuses inverters from the donor vehicles, removing the need for expensive power conditioners. Horizon, a science and technology publication, highlights this as a key factor in lowering operational costs and making the system more scalable for wider adoption.
